12 CFR 1408.13 - Contracting for collection services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Contracting for collection services. 1408.13 Section 1408.13 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION COLLECTION OF CLAIMS OWED THE UNITED STATES Administrative Collection of Claims § 1408.13 Contracting for collection services. The...

Maximizing collections from patient services billing.

Science.gov (United States)

Orenstein, Gil C; Kaye, Alan David; Fox, Charles J; Urman, Richard D

2014-01-01

The field of medical billing and collections continues to evolve along with current developments in U.S. healthcare reform. Although there has been a significant shift of payment responsibility from third-party payers to patients, many practices are not equipped to handle this change. As patients' financial obligations increase, the physician's ability to collect from patients will become increasingly important. Inability to collect bills receivable can adversely affect the revenue cycle of the practice. Solutions include improvement of the point-of-service collection processes, properly trained office staff, written financial policies, and the use of technology to facilitate online payments. Patients should fully understand their financial responsibilities and options available to them for payment of services rendered.

75 FR 23218 - Information Collection; Direct Loan Servicing-Regular

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-03

... collections established in the regulation are necessary for FSA to monitor and account for loan security... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Information Collection; Direct Loan Servicing... collection that supports Direct Loan Servicing-Regular programs. The information is used to determine...

Methodological reporting in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods health services research articles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisdom, Jennifer P; Cavaleri, Mary A; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J; Green, Carla A

2012-04-01

Methodologically sound mixed methods research can improve our understanding of health services by providing a more comprehensive picture of health services than either method can alone. This study describes the frequency of mixed methods in published health services research and compares the presence of methodological components indicative of rigorous approaches across mixed methods, qualitative, and quantitative articles. All empirical articles (n = 1,651) published between 2003 and 2007 from four top-ranked health services journals. All mixed methods articles (n = 47) and random samples of qualitative and quantitative articles were evaluated to identify reporting of key components indicating rigor for each method, based on accepted standards for evaluating the quality of research reports (e.g., use of p-values in quantitative reports, description of context in qualitative reports, and integration in mixed method reports). We used chi-square tests to evaluate differences between article types for each component. Mixed methods articles comprised 2.85 percent (n = 47) of empirical articles, quantitative articles 90.98 percent (n = 1,502), and qualitative articles 6.18 percent (n = 102). There was a statistically significant difference (χ(2) (1) = 12.20, p = .0005, Cramer's V = 0.09, odds ratio = 1.49 [95% confidence interval = 1,27, 1.74]) in the proportion of quantitative methodological components present in mixed methods compared to quantitative papers (21.94 versus 47.07 percent, respectively) but no statistically significant difference (χ(2) (1) = 0.02, p = .89, Cramer's V = 0.01) in the proportion of qualitative methodological components in mixed methods compared to qualitative papers (21.34 versus 25.47 percent, respectively). Few published health services research articles use mixed methods. The frequency of key methodological components is variable. Suggestions are provided to increase the transparency of mixed methods studies and

A New Collaborative Methodology for Assessment and Management of Ecosystem Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Segura

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Collaborative management is a new framework to help implement programmes in protected areas. Within this context, the aim of this work is twofold. First, to propose a robust methodology to implement collaborative management focused on ecosystem services. Second, to develop indicators for the main functions of ecosystem services. Decision makers, technical staff and other stakeholders are included in the process from the beginning, by identifying ecosystem services and eliciting preferences using the AHP method. Qualitative and quantitative data are then integrated into a PROMETHEE based method in order to obtain indicators for provisioning, maintenance and direct to citizens services. This methodology, which has been applied in a forest area, provides a tool for exploiting available technical and social data in a continuous process, as well as providing easy to understand graphical results. This approach also overcomes the difficulties found in prioritizing management objectives in a multiple criteria context with limited resources and facilitates consensus between all of the people involved. The new indicators define an innovative approach to assessing the ecosystem services from the supply perspective and provide basic information to help establish payment systems for environmental services and compensation for natural disasters.

77 FR 37907 - Information Collection; Service Contracting

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-25

...), 1275 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20417. ATTN: Hada Flowers/IC 9000-0152, Service Contracting... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [OMB Control No. 9000-0152: Docket 2012-0076; Sequence 16] Information Collection; Service...

Collecting real-time data with a behavioral simulation: A new methodological trait

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Kristina Risom

interactive methods of collecting data [1, 2]. To collect real-time data as opposed to retrospective data, new methodological traits are needed. The paper proposes that a behavioral simulation supported by Web technology is a valid new research strategy to handle the collection of real-time data. Adapting...... the knowledge on agent-based modeling [3, 4], a behavioral simulation synergizes the benefits of self-administered questionnaires and the experimental design, and furthermore, introduces role-playing [5, 6] and scenario [7-11] strategies as very effective methods to ensure high interaction with the respondents....... The Web technology is the key to make a simulation for data collection objectives 'light'. Additionally, Web technology can be a solution to some of the challenges facing the traditional research methodologies such as time, ease, flexibility and cost, but perhaps more interesting, a possible solution...

Getting Real: A Naturalistic Methodology for Using Smartphones to Collect Mediated Communications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chad C. Tossell

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper contributes an intentionally naturalistic methodology using smartphone logging technology to study communications in the wild. Smartphone logging can provide tremendous access to communications data from real environments. However, researchers must consider how it is employed to preserve naturalistic behaviors. Nine considerations are presented to this end. We also provide a description of a naturalistic logging approach that has been applied successfully to collecting mediated communications from iPhones. The methodology was designed to intentionally decrease reactivity and resulted in data that were more accurate than self-reports. Example analyses are also provided to show how data collected can be analyzed to establish empirical patterns and identify user differences. Smartphone logging technologies offer flexible capabilities to enhance access to real communications data, but methodologies employing these techniques must be designed appropriately to avoid provoking naturally occurring behaviors. Functionally, this methodology can be applied to establish empirical patterns and test specific hypotheses within the field of HCI research. Topically, this methodology can be applied to domains interested in understanding mediated communications such as mobile content and systems design, teamwork, and social networks.

Methodology to design a municipal solid waste pre-collection system. A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallardo, A.; Carlos, M.; Peris, M.; Colomer, F.J.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • MSW recovery starts at homes; therefore it is important to facilitate it to people. • Additionally, to optimize MSW collection a previous pre-collection must be planned. • A methodology to organize pre-collection considering several factors is presented. • The methodology has been verified applying it to a Spanish middle town. - Abstract: The municipal solid waste (MSW) management is an important task that local governments as well as private companies must take into account to protect human health, the environment and to preserve natural resources. To design an adequate MSW management plan the first step consists in defining the waste generation and composition patterns of the town. As these patterns depend on several socio-economic factors it is advisable to organize them previously. Moreover, the waste generation and composition patterns may vary around the town and over the time. Generally, the data are not homogeneous around the city as the number of inhabitants is not constant nor it is the economic activity. Therefore, if all the information is showed in thematic maps, the final waste management decisions can be made more efficiently. The main aim of this paper is to present a structured methodology that allows local authorities or private companies who deal with MSW to design its own MSW management plan depending on the available data. According to these data, this paper proposes two ways of action: a direct way when detailed data are available and an indirect way when there is a lack of data and it is necessary to take into account bibliographic data. In any case, the amount of information needed is considerable. This paper combines the planning methodology with the Geographic Information Systems to present the final results in thematic maps that make easier to interpret them. The proposed methodology is a previous useful tool to organize the MSW collection routes including the selective collection. To verify the methodology it has

Methodologies for assessment of the service life of pressure tubes in Indian PHWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinha, R.K.; Sharma, A.; Madhusoodanan, K.; Sinha, S.K.; Malshe, U.D.

1997-01-01

For estimating safe service life of pressure tubes in Indian PHWRs, analytical methodologies have been developed to evaluate creep deformation, deuterium pick-up rate, blister growth at cold spot, and operating domain required for achieving leak-before-break. The paper provides an overview of these methodologies, and results of some studies carried out towards evolution of proposed fitness-for-service criteria for a pressure tube in contact with its calandria tube. (author)

Full cost accounting in the analysis of separated waste collection efficiency: A methodological proposal.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Onza, Giuseppe; Greco, Giulio; Allegrini, Marco

2016-02-01

Recycling implies additional costs for separated municipal solid waste (MSW) collection. The aim of the present study is to propose and implement a management tool - the full cost accounting (FCA) method - to calculate the full collection costs of different types of waste. Our analysis aims for a better understanding of the difficulties of putting FCA into practice in the MSW sector. We propose a FCA methodology that uses standard cost and actual quantities to calculate the collection costs of separate and undifferentiated waste. Our methodology allows cost efficiency analysis and benchmarking, overcoming problems related to firm-specific accounting choices, earnings management policies and purchase policies. Our methodology allows benchmarking and variance analysis that can be used to identify the causes of off-standards performance and guide managers to deploy resources more efficiently. Our methodology can be implemented by companies lacking a sophisticated management accounting system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methodologic model to scheduling on service systems: a software engineering approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduyn Ramiro Lopez-Santana

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an approach of software engineering to a research proposal to make an Expert System to scheduling on service systems using methodologies and processes of software development. We use the adaptive software development as methodology for the software architecture based on the description as a software metaprocess that characterizes the research process. We make UML’s diagrams (Unified Modeling Language to provide a visual modeling that describes the research methodology in order to identify the actors, elements and interactions in the research process.

Theoretical and methodological approaches to determining the effectiveness of medical services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu. Yu. Shvets

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the results of theoretical and methodological studies on the effectiveness of the health care system. It formulated the concept and components of the efficiency of medical services it is an economic category of health care operations. In particular, it is determined that the efficiency of medical services is a characteristic effect and shows the feasibility of the use of material, financial and human resources in this event, method, intervention. The results showed that in respect of medical services is determined by the medical, social and economic efficiency, between which there is a relationship and interdependence. The article analyzes the fundamentals and methodological bases of social, medical and economic efficiency of medical services. It was determined that a priority in the health system are the very social and medical effectiveness, taking into account those of socially important tasks to perform which is directed the whole health system in the country. Given the ambiguous understanding of the relationship of efficiency of medical services with its quality, based on the analysis of theoretical developments, identified the common and distinctive features of the characteristics of the health service in order to determine their impact on software quality and affordable health care services to the population. In particular, the efficiency of medical services is considered in close conjunction with its quality. The quality and efficiency of medical services are interrelated characteristics. However, the results showed that it is not always effective healthcare services, particularly in terms of economic efficiency, can be qualitative, and not always high-quality medical services – can be called economically efficient.

Collecting Societies, Competition and the Services Directive

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riis, Thomas

2011-01-01

the harms to cultural diversity. In addition to the competition law complications, the Services Directive puts significant restrictions on the member states to adopt or maintain national rules for collecting societies and that creates an urgent need for adopting a framework directive for collecting......The market for collective management of copyrights in the EU is in transition and the collecting societies are facing a number of challenges primarily based on the EU rules on competition and the freedom to provide services. Some of the major right holders are withdrawing their rights from...... the system of reciprocal representation agreements which fragments the repertoire. This is partly due to the market evolution and the emergence of new business models but also promoted by the European Commission initiatives intended to introduce a certain degree of competition in the collective management...

Developing an indicators plan and software for evaluating Street Cleanliness and Waste Collection Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iago López

2017-12-01

Full Text Available An app to evaluate the Street Cleanliness and Waste Collection Service was developed. This app is based on a Plan of Indicators that can be used to evaluate the Street Cleanliness and Waste Collection Service of Santander municipality. Specific methodologies for calculating and evaluating 59 indicators have been developed to obtain information regarding the status of the different elements of the service. The Plan of Indicators has been applied to Santander city. The app was designed to address, but is not limited to, the following goals: i to obtain, store and calculate information regarding the above indicators and ii to disseminate the results of the status of the elements of the Service to the public sector. The app that was developed can provide a quick view of the results obtained for each indicator in each district, which is useful for making an appropriate diagnosis of the city’s cleanliness and is the first step in the decision making and Service optimisation processes. Detailed results for the Street Cleanliness Index are shown for each district of Santander city. The Street Cleanliness Index values are also related to the Frequency Street Cleanliness Services parameters. Pearson correlation coefficient results suggest that an inverse relationship between the Street Cleanliness Index values and the Frequency Street Cleanliness Services/population density ratio exists (R2 = −0.63. The results show that Street Cleanliness Index worst values exist for those districts that have a lower Frequency Street Cleanliness Services /population density parameter. The results are useful for designing and optimising the Street Cleanliness Service. For the decision making process, resources should be allocated where necessary, which seems to be those districts with lower Frequency Street Cleanliness Services /population density ratios.

Computational intelligence as a platform for data collection methodology in management science

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Kristina Risom

2006-01-01

With the increased focus in management science on how to collect data close to the real-world of managers, then agent-based simulations have interesting prospects that are usable for the design of business applications aimed at the collection of data. As a new generation of data collection...... methodologies this chapter discusses and presents a behavioral simulation founded in the agent-based simulation life cycle and supported by Web technology. With agent-based modeling the complexity of the method is increased without limiting the research due to the technological support, because this makes...... it possible to exploit the advantages of a questionnaire, an experimental design, a role-play and a scenario as such gaining the synergy effect of these methodologies. At the end of the chapter an example of a simulation is presented for researchers and practitioners to study....

78 FR 68908 - Proposed Information Collection (Veterans Transportation Service Data Collection); Activity...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-15

... (Veterans Transportation Service Data Collection); Activity: Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Health.... This notice solicits comments on the information needed to evaluate the Veterans Transportation Service... receive timely and reliable transportation for the purpose of examination, treatment and care. DATES...

76 FR 40379 - New Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Study Logistic Formative Research Methodology Studies...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-08

...; Comment Request; Study Logistic Formative Research Methodology Studies for the National Children's Study... Collection Title: Study Logistics Formative Research Methodology Studies for the National Children's Study... national longitudinal study of environmental influences (including physical, chemical, biological, and...

Services for People Innovation Park – Planning Methodologies

OpenAIRE

Maria Angela Campelo de Melo; Lygia Magalhães Magacho

2013-01-01

This article aims to identify appropriate methodologies for the planning of a Services for People Innovation Park-SPIP, designed according to the model proposed by the Ibero-American Network launched by La Salle University of Madrid. Projected to form a network, these parks were conceived to provoke social change in their region, improving quality of life and social welfare, through knowledge, technology and innovation transfer and creation of companies focused on developing product and servi...

Applying the Tropos Methodology for Analysing Web Services Requirements and Reasoning about Qualities of Services

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aiello, Marco; Giorgini, Paolo

2004-01-01

The shift in software engineering from the design, implementation and management of isolated software elements towards a network of autonomous interoperable service is calling for a shift in the way software is designed. We propose the use of the agent-oriented methodology Tropos for the analysis of

Transforming Monograph Collections with a Model of Collections as a Service

Science.gov (United States)

Way, Doug

2017-01-01

Financial pressures, changes in scholarly communications, the rise of online content, and the ability to easily share materials have provided libraries the opportunity to rethink their collections practices. This article provides an overview of these changes and outlines a framework for viewing collections as a service. It describes how libraries…

77 FR 26544 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Servicing of...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-04

... Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Servicing of Motor Vehicle Air Conditioners, EPA ICR Number... consideration may perform any service on a motor vehicle air conditioner involving the refrigerant for such air... used in servicing motor vehicle air conditioners and that each individual authorized by the purchaser...

Information from the Collection Service

CERN Multimedia

GS Department

2010-01-01

As from Thursday 11 March two containers for the collection used NESPRESSO capsules will be at your disposal: One container near Building 133 (Recuperation and Sales Service); One container near Building 904 (Goods Reception). The used capsules will be dispatched to an industrial processing centre for recycling.

MODIS Collection 6 Land Product Subsets Web Service

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The MODIS Web Service provides data access capabilities for Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Collection 6 land products. The web service...

Operationalisation of service quality in household waste collection.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulte, Nico Alexander; Gellenbeck, Klaus; Nelles, Michael

2017-04-01

Since 2007, there has been intensive discussion at European and national levels concerning the standardisation of services including those in the sector of waste management. The drafts of the European standard prEN 16250 and the German preliminary standard DIN SPEC 1108 are intended to establish a uniform definition of corresponding services and their (minimum) service levels. Their binding application in practice requires that systematic inspections be provided to ascertain to what degree a service has been carried out as agreed upon. However, both standardisation projects give only a few examples of potential quality characteristics and offer no concrete information concerning methods of measurement. Because intersectoral or cross-service quality inspections do not exist, there is a need for the development of specific quality inspections. The study introduced in this article examines the question of how the service quality of door-to-door waste collection can be systematically measured. To this end, the quality concept applied to the process of waste collection was first concretised and then operationalised using indicators. Based upon this, the methods of the quality inspections were developed and subjected to a trial of their applicability in a German waste management company. The methods for measuring and evaluating take into account, in addition to the different boundary conditions of collection, also the possible customer influence on the collection process and consequently on the service performed by the collection crew. In order to avoid time- and therefore cost-intensive exhaustive surveys, a multilevel random-controlled selection of survey units was developed, too. Based on the analysis of the measurement data, it was possible to determine specific time requirement values for the regular performance of the data surveys, as well as minimum sample sizes as a function of the number of container locations of the waste collection tours. On the basis of this

The Use of Online Methodologies in Data Collection for Gambling and Gaming Addictions

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Mark D.

2010-01-01

The paper outlines the advantages, disadvantages, and other implications of using the Internet to collect data from gaming addicts. Drawing from experience of numerous addiction studies carried out online by the author, and by reviewing the methodological literature examining online data collection among both gambling addicts and video game…

A Methodology for the Development of RESTful Semantic Web Services for Gene Expression Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela D A Guardia

Full Text Available Gene expression studies are generally performed through multi-step analysis processes, which require the integrated use of a number of analysis tools. In order to facilitate tool/data integration, an increasing number of analysis tools have been developed as or adapted to semantic web services. In recent years, some approaches have been defined for the development and semantic annotation of web services created from legacy software tools, but these approaches still present many limitations. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, no suitable approach has been defined for the functional genomics domain. Therefore, this paper aims at defining an integrated methodology for the implementation of RESTful semantic web services created from gene expression analysis tools and the semantic annotation of such services. We have applied our methodology to the development of a number of services to support the analysis of different types of gene expression data, including microarray and RNASeq. All developed services are publicly available in the Gene Expression Analysis Services (GEAS Repository at http://dcm.ffclrp.usp.br/lssb/geas. Additionally, we have used a number of the developed services to create different integrated analysis scenarios to reproduce parts of two gene expression studies documented in the literature. The first study involves the analysis of one-color microarray data obtained from multiple sclerosis patients and healthy donors. The second study comprises the analysis of RNA-Seq data obtained from melanoma cells to investigate the role of the remodeller BRG1 in the proliferation and morphology of these cells. Our methodology provides concrete guidelines and technical details in order to facilitate the systematic development of semantic web services. Moreover, it encourages the development and reuse of these services for the creation of semantically integrated solutions for gene expression analysis.

A Methodology for the Development of RESTful Semantic Web Services for Gene Expression Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Guardia, Gabriela D A; Pires, Luís Ferreira; Vêncio, Ricardo Z N; Malmegrim, Kelen C R; de Farias, Cléver R G

2015-01-01

Gene expression studies are generally performed through multi-step analysis processes, which require the integrated use of a number of analysis tools. In order to facilitate tool/data integration, an increasing number of analysis tools have been developed as or adapted to semantic web services. In recent years, some approaches have been defined for the development and semantic annotation of web services created from legacy software tools, but these approaches still present many limitations. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, no suitable approach has been defined for the functional genomics domain. Therefore, this paper aims at defining an integrated methodology for the implementation of RESTful semantic web services created from gene expression analysis tools and the semantic annotation of such services. We have applied our methodology to the development of a number of services to support the analysis of different types of gene expression data, including microarray and RNASeq. All developed services are publicly available in the Gene Expression Analysis Services (GEAS) Repository at http://dcm.ffclrp.usp.br/lssb/geas. Additionally, we have used a number of the developed services to create different integrated analysis scenarios to reproduce parts of two gene expression studies documented in the literature. The first study involves the analysis of one-color microarray data obtained from multiple sclerosis patients and healthy donors. The second study comprises the analysis of RNA-Seq data obtained from melanoma cells to investigate the role of the remodeller BRG1 in the proliferation and morphology of these cells. Our methodology provides concrete guidelines and technical details in order to facilitate the systematic development of semantic web services. Moreover, it encourages the development and reuse of these services for the creation of semantically integrated solutions for gene expression analysis.

[Advantages and disadvantages of incorporating qualitative methodology in the evaluation of health services. A practical case: evaluation of a high-resolution clinic].

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez Del Arco, D; Rodríguez Rieiro, C; Sanchidrián De Blás, C; Alejos, B; Plá Mestre, R

2012-01-01

We examined the usefulness of incorporating a qualitative phase in the evaluation of the quality of care in a high-resolution medical service carried out with quantitative methods. A quantitative research was performed using a structured questionnaire and selecting interviewees by systematic randomized sampling methods (n=320). In addition, a qualitative research was carried on through semi-structured interviews with patients selected by convenience criteria (n=11), observations in the care assistance circuit, and a group interview with health professionals working in the service. A multidisciplinary research team conducted an individual analysis of the information collected in both quantitative and qualitative phases. Subsequently, three meetings based on group brainstorming techniques were held to identify the diverse contributions of each of the methodologies employed to the research, using affinity graphs to analyse the different results obtained in both phases and evaluate possible bias arising from the use of qualitative methods. Qualitative research allowed examining specific aspects of the health care service that had been collected in the quantitative phase, harmonizing the results obtained in the previous phase, giving in-depth data on the reasons for patient dissatisfaction with specific aspects, such as waiting times and available infrastructures, and identifying emerging issues of the service which had not been previously assessed. Overall, the qualitative phase enriched the results of the research. It is appropriate and recommendable to incorporate this methodological approach in research aimed at evaluating the quality of the service in specific health care settings, since it is provided first hand, by the voice of the customer. Copyright © 2011 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a Short Message Service diary methodology in a nonclinical, naturalistic setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Erin I; Brinker, Jay K

2012-11-01

Particularly suited to repeated measures in naturalistic settings, Short Message Service (SMS) is garnering increasing attention as a viable method of data collection. The current study explored issues of practical importance for the development of this methodology, including factors impacting on attrition and compliance, and participant perception of SMS. Using a business-card-sized questionnaire key, 98 university students were sent prompt SMS messages nightly for a week. Completion and compliance were very high in all participants who responded to at least one prompt SMS; those who responded at least once (n=63) responded to 83 percent of all seven prompts, with 95 percent of responses containing appropriate alphanumeric answers to all questions. However, a time lag between recruitment and participation was associated with a failure to commence the diary study. Participants reported positive perceptions of SMS privacy and convenience.

Exploring the Benefits of Respite Services to Family Caregivers: Methodological Issues and Current Findings

Science.gov (United States)

Zarit, Steven H.; Liu, Yin; Bangerter, Lauren R.; Rovine, Michael J.

2017-01-01

Objectives There is growing emphasis on empirical validation of the efficacy of community-based services for older people and their families, but research on services such as respite care faces methodological challenges that have limited the growth of outcome studies. We identify problems associated with the usual research approaches for studying respite care, with the goal of stimulating use of novel and more appropriate research designs that can lead to improved studies of community-based services. Method Using the concept of research validity, we evaluate the methodological approaches in the current literature on respite services, including adult day services, in-home respite and overnight respite. Results Although randomized control trials (RCTs) are possible in community settings, validity is compromised by practical limitations of randomization and other problems. Quasi-experimental and interrupted time series designs offer comparable validity to RCTs and can be implemented effectively in community settings. Conclusion An emphasis on RCTs by funders and researchers is not supported by scientific evidence. Alternative designs can lead to development of a valid body of research on community services such as respite. PMID:26729467

Methodological tools for the collection and analysis of participant observation data using grounded theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Laitinen, Heleena; Kaunonen, Marja; Astedt-Kurki, Päivi

2014-11-01

To give clarity to the analysis of participant observation in nursing when implementing the grounded theory method. Participant observation (PO) is a method of collecting data that reveals the reality of daily life in a specific context. In grounded theory, interviews are the primary method of collecting data but PO gives a distinctive insight, revealing what people are really doing, instead of what they say they are doing. However, more focus is needed on the analysis of PO. An observational study carried out to gain awareness of nursing care and its electronic documentation in four acute care wards in hospitals in Finland. Discussion of using the grounded theory method and PO as a data collection tool. The following methodological tools are discussed: an observational protocol, jotting of notes, microanalysis, the use of questioning, constant comparison, and writing and illustrating. Each tool has specific significance in collecting and analysing data, working in constant interaction. Grounded theory and participant observation supplied rich data and revealed the complexity of the daily reality of acute care. In this study, the methodological tools provided a base for the study at the research sites and outside. The process as a whole was challenging. It was time-consuming and it required rigorous and simultaneous data collection and analysis, including reflective writing. Using these methodological tools helped the researcher stay focused from data collection and analysis to building theory. Using PO as a data collection method in qualitative nursing research provides insights. It is not commonly discussed in nursing research and therefore this study can provide insight, which cannot be seen or revealed by using other data collection methods. Therefore, this paper can produce a useful tool for those who intend to use PO and grounded theory in their nursing research.

An Evidence Based Methodology to Facilitate Public Library Non-fiction Collection Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Kelly

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective – This research was designed as a pilot study to test a methodology for subject based collection analysis for public libraries. Methods – WorldCat collection data from eight Australian public libraries was extracted using the Collection Evaluation application. The data was aggregated and filtered to assess how the sample’s titles could be compared against the OCLC Conspectus subject categories. A hierarchy of emphasis emerged and this was divided into tiers ranging from 1% of the sample. These tiers were further analysed to quantify their representativeness against both the sample’s titles and the subject categories taken as a whole. The interpretive aspect of the study sought to understand the types of knowledge embedded in the tiers and was underpinned by hermeneutic phenomenology. Results – The study revealed that there was a marked tendency for a small percentage of subject categories to constitute a large proportion of the potential topicality that might have been represented in these types of collections. The study also found that distribution of the aggregated collection conformed to a Power Law distribution (80/20 so that approximately 80% of the collection was represented by 20% of the subject categories. The study also found that there were significant commonalities in the types of subject categories that were found in the designated tiers and that it may be possible to develop ontologies that correspond to the collection tiers. Conclusions – The evidence-based methodology developed in this pilot study has the potential for further development to help to improve the practice of collection development. The introduction of the concept of the epistemic role played by collection tiers is a promising aid to inform our understanding of knowledge organization for public libraries. The research shows a way forward to help to link subjective decision making with a scientifically based approach to managing knowledge

Modeling collective animal behavior with a cognitive perspective: a methodological framework.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian Weitz

Full Text Available The last decades have seen an increasing interest in modeling collective animal behavior. Some studies try to reproduce as accurately as possible the collective dynamics and patterns observed in several animal groups with biologically plausible, individual behavioral rules. The objective is then essentially to demonstrate that the observed collective features may be the result of self-organizing processes involving quite simple individual behaviors. Other studies concentrate on the objective of establishing or enriching links between collective behavior researches and cognitive or physiological ones, which then requires that each individual rule be carefully validated. Here we discuss the methodological consequences of this additional requirement. Using the example of corpse clustering in ants, we first illustrate that it may be impossible to discriminate among alternative individual rules by considering only observational data collected at the group level. Six individual behavioral models are described: They are clearly distinct in terms of individual behaviors, they all reproduce satisfactorily the collective dynamics and distribution patterns observed in experiments, and we show theoretically that it is strictly impossible to discriminate two of these models even in the limit of an infinite amount of data whatever the accuracy level. A set of methodological steps are then listed and discussed as practical ways to partially overcome this problem. They involve complementary experimental protocols specifically designed to address the behavioral rules successively, conserving group-level data for the overall model validation. In this context, we highlight the importance of maintaining a sharp distinction between model enunciation, with explicit references to validated biological concepts, and formal translation of these concepts in terms of quantitative state variables and fittable functional dependences. Illustrative examples are provided of the

5 CFR 847.605 - Methodology for determining the present value of annuity with service credit.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Retroactive Provisions § 847.605 Methodology for determining the present value of annuity with service credit. (a) OPM will determine the present value of the annuity including service credit for NAFI service..., the present value under paragraph (a) of this section equals the monthly annuity rate including credit...

A methodology for adaptable and robust ecosystem services assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Villa, Ferdinando; Bagstad, Kenneth J.; Voigt, Brian; Johnson, Gary W.; Portela, Rosimeiry; Honzák, Miroslav; Batker, David

2014-01-01

Ecosystem Services (ES) are an established conceptual framework for attributing value to the benefits that nature provides to humans. As the promise of robust ES-driven management is put to the test, shortcomings in our ability to accurately measure, map, and value ES have surfaced. On the research side, mainstream methods for ES assessment still fall short of addressing the complex, multi-scale biophysical and socioeconomic dynamics inherent in ES provision, flow, and use. On the practitioner side, application of methods remains onerous due to data and model parameterization requirements. Further, it is increasingly clear that the dominant “one model fits all” paradigm is often ill-suited to address the diversity of real-world management situations that exist across the broad spectrum of coupled human-natural systems. This article introduces an integrated ES modeling methodology, named ARIES (ARtificial Intelligence for Ecosystem Services), which aims to introduce improvements on these fronts. To improve conceptual detail and representation of ES dynamics, it adopts a uniform conceptualization of ES that gives equal emphasis to their production, flow and use by society, while keeping model complexity low enough to enable rapid and inexpensive assessment in many contexts and for multiple services. To improve fit to diverse application contexts, the methodology is assisted by model integration technologies that allow assembly of customized models from a growing model base. By using computer learning and reasoning, model structure may be specialized for each application context without requiring costly expertise. In this article we discuss the founding principles of ARIES - both its innovative aspects for ES science and as an example of a new strategy to support more accurate decision making in diverse application contexts.

A methodology for adaptable and robust ecosystem services assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Villa, Ferdinando; Bagstad, Kenneth J; Voigt, Brian; Johnson, Gary W; Portela, Rosimeiry; Honzák, Miroslav; Batker, David

2014-01-01

Ecosystem Services (ES) are an established conceptual framework for attributing value to the benefits that nature provides to humans. As the promise of robust ES-driven management is put to the test, shortcomings in our ability to accurately measure, map, and value ES have surfaced. On the research side, mainstream methods for ES assessment still fall short of addressing the complex, multi-scale biophysical and socioeconomic dynamics inherent in ES provision, flow, and use. On the practitioner side, application of methods remains onerous due to data and model parameterization requirements. Further, it is increasingly clear that the dominant "one model fits all" paradigm is often ill-suited to address the diversity of real-world management situations that exist across the broad spectrum of coupled human-natural systems. This article introduces an integrated ES modeling methodology, named ARIES (ARtificial Intelligence for Ecosystem Services), which aims to introduce improvements on these fronts. To improve conceptual detail and representation of ES dynamics, it adopts a uniform conceptualization of ES that gives equal emphasis to their production, flow and use by society, while keeping model complexity low enough to enable rapid and inexpensive assessment in many contexts and for multiple services. To improve fit to diverse application contexts, the methodology is assisted by model integration technologies that allow assembly of customized models from a growing model base. By using computer learning and reasoning, model structure may be specialized for each application context without requiring costly expertise. In this article we discuss the founding principles of ARIES--both its innovative aspects for ES science and as an example of a new strategy to support more accurate decision making in diverse application contexts.

29 CFR 1450.17 - Contracting for collection services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Contracting for collection services. 1450.17 Section 1450.17 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE... prevailing commercial practice. (3) FMCS may enter into a contract under paragraph (b)(1) of this section...

The chatting gathering as a methodological strategy in in-service learning: moving along dialogical dynamics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María José Alonso

2008-04-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on an experience of in-service training carried out by a group of educators in literacy. The novelty of the undertaking lies in the methodological proposal analysed: using “chatting gatherings” as a methodological strategy, which supports critical reflection and the construction of knowledge, both in in-service training of professionals and in basic adult education. This experience reveals the nature of learning achieved through dialogical educational processes. Further, it allows us to observe the impact that they may have on the improvement of the professionals’ educational practices.

Determinants of efficiency in the provision of municipal street-cleaning and refuse collection services.

Science.gov (United States)

Benito-López, Bernardino; Moreno-Enguix, María del Rocio; Solana-Ibañez, José

2011-06-01

Effective waste management systems can make critical contributions to public health, environmental sustainability and economic development. The challenge affects every person and institution in society, and measures cannot be undertaken without data collection and a quantitative analysis approach. In this paper, the two-stage double bootstrap procedure of Simar and Wilson (2007) is used to estimate the efficiency determinants of Spanish local entities in the provision of public street-cleaning and refuse collection services. The purpose is to identify factors that influence efficiency. The final sample comprised 1072 municipalities. In the first stage, robust efficiency estimates are obtained with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We apply the second stage, based on a truncated-regression, to estimate the effect of a group of environmental factors on DEA estimates. The results show the existence of a significant relation between efficiency and all the variables analysed (per capita income, urban population density, the comparative index of the importance of tourism and that of the whole economic activity). We have also considered the influence of a dummy categorical variable - the political sign of the governing party - on the efficient provision of the services under study. The results from the methodology proposed show that municipalities governed by progressive parties are more efficient. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants of efficiency in the provision of municipal street-cleaning and refuse collection services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benito-Lopez, Bernardino; Rocio Moreno-Enguix, Maria del; Solana-Ibanez, Jose

2011-01-01

Effective waste management systems can make critical contributions to public health, environmental sustainability and economic development. The challenge affects every person and institution in society, and measures cannot be undertaken without data collection and a quantitative analysis approach. In this paper, the two-stage double bootstrap procedure of is used to estimate the efficiency determinants of Spanish local entities in the provision of public street-cleaning and refuse collection services. The purpose is to identify factors that influence efficiency. The final sample comprised 1072 municipalities. In the first stage, robust efficiency estimates are obtained with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We apply the second stage, based on a truncated-regression, to estimate the effect of a group of environmental factors on DEA estimates. The results show the existence of a significant relation between efficiency and all the variables analysed (per capita income, urban population density, the comparative index of the importance of tourism and that of the whole economic activity). We have also considered the influence of a dummy categorical variable - the political sign of the governing party - on the efficient provision of the services under study. The results from the methodology proposed show that municipalities governed by progressive parties are more efficient.

APPLICATION FRAMEWORK IN ENGINEERING SERVICE ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE SYSTEM SERVICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ade Hodijah

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The Service Engineering (SE is understood as a framework to create innovative services in application development of information technology approach to Service Oriented Architecture (SOA. Implementing SOA is required methodology to identify services that can be used again in the application and organization of a company. in this research, software development model used is object-oriented methodologies, SOA itself is a collection consisting of tools, technologies, frameworks, and best practices that facilitate the implementation of a service quickly. in a study this uses the tools of Business Process Management System (BPMS to support the implementation of service-oriented software. the purpose of this study is to produce a model of activities and artifacts of the application software development models of the SE with a case study Rate Loans. Validation to the design of the model is done through testing of the software produced. The results showed that the application of the SE in the development of service-oriented software can use the object-oriented methodology by providing additional value-added analysis and redesign of business processes to be implemented on a BPMS. BPMS usage of the application of the SE on the SOA has the advantage of visualization in the management of business processes.

Measuring service line competitive position. A systematic methodology for hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Studnicki, J

1991-01-01

To mount a broad effort aimed at improving their competitive position for some service or group of services, hospitals have begun to pursue product line management techniques. A few hospitals have even reorganized completely under the product line framework. The benefits include focusing accountability for operations and results, facilitating coordination between departments and functions, stimulating market segmentation, and promoting rigorous examination of new and existing programs. As part of its strategic planning process, a suburban Baltimore hospital developed a product line management methodology with six basic steps: (1) define the service lines (which they did by grouping all existing diagnosis-related groups into 35 service lines), (2) determine the contribution of each service line to total inpatient volume, (3) determine trends in service line volumes (by comparing data over time), (4) derive a useful comparison group (competing hospitals or groups of hospitals with comparable size, scope of services, payer mix, and financial status), (5) review multiple time frames, and (6) summarize the long- and short-term performance of the hospital's service lines to focus further analysis. This type of systematic and disciplined analysis can become part of a permanent strategic intelligence program. When hospitals have such a program in place, their market research, planning, budgeting, and operations will be tied together in a true management decision support system.

A methodology for adaptable and robust ecosystem services assessment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferdinando Villa

Full Text Available Ecosystem Services (ES are an established conceptual framework for attributing value to the benefits that nature provides to humans. As the promise of robust ES-driven management is put to the test, shortcomings in our ability to accurately measure, map, and value ES have surfaced. On the research side, mainstream methods for ES assessment still fall short of addressing the complex, multi-scale biophysical and socioeconomic dynamics inherent in ES provision, flow, and use. On the practitioner side, application of methods remains onerous due to data and model parameterization requirements. Further, it is increasingly clear that the dominant "one model fits all" paradigm is often ill-suited to address the diversity of real-world management situations that exist across the broad spectrum of coupled human-natural systems. This article introduces an integrated ES modeling methodology, named ARIES (ARtificial Intelligence for Ecosystem Services, which aims to introduce improvements on these fronts. To improve conceptual detail and representation of ES dynamics, it adopts a uniform conceptualization of ES that gives equal emphasis to their production, flow and use by society, while keeping model complexity low enough to enable rapid and inexpensive assessment in many contexts and for multiple services. To improve fit to diverse application contexts, the methodology is assisted by model integration technologies that allow assembly of customized models from a growing model base. By using computer learning and reasoning, model structure may be specialized for each application context without requiring costly expertise. In this article we discuss the founding principles of ARIES--both its innovative aspects for ES science and as an example of a new strategy to support more accurate decision making in diverse application contexts.

76 FR 23859 - Financial Management Service Proposed Collection of Information; Financial Institution Agreement...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-28

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service Proposed Collection of... Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial... collection. By this notice, the Financial Management Service solicits comments concerning the FMS 458 and FMS...

Privatization of solid waste collection services: Lessons from Gaborone.

Science.gov (United States)

Bolaane, Benjamin; Isaac, Emmanuel

2015-06-01

Formal privatization of solid waste collection activities has often been flagged as a suitable intervention for some of the challenges of solid waste management experienced by developing countries. Proponents of outsourcing collection to the private sector argue that in contrast to the public sector, it is more effective and efficient in delivering services. This essay is a comparative case study of efficiency and effectiveness attributes between the public and the formal private sector, in relation to the collection of commercial waste in Gaborone. The paper is based on analysis of secondary data and key informant interviews. It was found that while, the private sector performed comparatively well in most of the chosen indicators of efficiency and effectiveness, the public sector also had areas where it had a competitive advantage. For instance, the private sector used the collection crew more efficiently, while the public sector was found to have a more reliable workforce. The study recommends that, while formal private sector participation in waste collection has some positive effects in terms of quality of service rendered, in most developing countries, it has to be enhanced by building sufficient capacity within the public sector on information about services contracted out and evaluation of performance criteria within the contracting process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 60303 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Online Survey of Web Services Employers; New...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-01

...-NEW] Agency Information Collection Activities: Online Survey of Web Services Employers; New... information collection. (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Online Survey of Web Services Employers. (3) Agency... USCIS obtains data on the E-Verify Program Web Services. Gaining an understanding of the Web Services...

Virtual Collections: An Earth Science Data Curation Service

Science.gov (United States)

Bugbee, Kaylin; Ramachandran, Rahul; Maskey, Manil; Gatlin, Patrick

2016-01-01

The role of Earth science data centers has traditionally been to maintain central archives that serve openly available Earth observation data. However, in order to ensure data are as useful as possible to a diverse user community, Earth science data centers must move beyond simply serving as an archive to offering innovative data services to user communities. A virtual collection, the end product of a curation activity that searches, selects, and synthesizes diffuse data and information resources around a specific topic or event, is a data curation service that improves the discoverability, accessibility, and usability of Earth science data and also supports the needs of unanticipated users. Virtual collections minimize the amount of the time and effort needed to begin research by maximizing certainty of reward and by providing a trustworthy source of data for unanticipated users. This presentation will define a virtual collection in the context of an Earth science data center and will highlight a virtual collection case study created at the Global Hydrology Resource Center data center.

Virtual Collections: An Earth Science Data Curation Service

Science.gov (United States)

Bugbee, K.; Ramachandran, R.; Maskey, M.; Gatlin, P. N.

2016-12-01

The role of Earth science data centers has traditionally been to maintain central archives that serve openly available Earth observation data. However, in order to ensure data are as useful as possible to a diverse user community, Earth science data centers must move beyond simply serving as an archive to offering innovative data services to user communities. A virtual collection, the end product of a curation activity that searches, selects, and synthesizes diffuse data and information resources around a specific topic or event, is a data curation service that improves the discoverability, accessibility and usability of Earth science data and also supports the needs of unanticipated users. Virtual collections minimize the amount of time and effort needed to begin research by maximizing certainty of reward and by providing a trustworthy source of data for unanticipated users. This presentation will define a virtual collection in the context of an Earth science data center and will highlight a virtual collection case study created at the Global Hydrology Resource Center data center.

A methodological protocol for selecting and quantifying low-value prescribing practices in routinely collected data: an Australian case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brett, Jonathan; Elshaug, Adam G; Bhatia, R Sacha; Chalmers, Kelsey; Badgery-Parker, Tim; Pearson, Sallie-Anne

2017-05-03

Growing imperatives for safety, quality and responsible resource allocation have prompted renewed efforts to identify and quantify harmful or wasteful (low-value) medical practices such as test ordering, procedures and prescribing. Quantifying these practices at a population level using routinely collected health data allows us to understand the scale of low-value medical practices, measure practice change following specific interventions and prioritise policy decisions. To date, almost all research examining health care through the low-value lens has focused on medical services (tests and procedures) rather than on prescribing. The protocol described herein outlines a program of research funded by Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council to select and quantify low-value prescribing practices within Australian routinely collected health data. We start by describing our process for identifying and cataloguing international low-value prescribing practices. We then outline our approach to translate these prescribing practices into indicators that can be applied to Australian routinely collected health data. Next, we detail methods of using Australian health data to quantify these prescribing practices (e.g. prevalence of low-value prescribing and related costs) and their downstream health consequences. We have approval from the necessary Australian state and commonwealth human research ethics and data access committees to undertake this work. The lack of systematic and transparent approaches to quantification of low-value practices in routinely collected data has been noted in recent reviews. Here, we present a methodology applied in the Australian context with the aim of demonstrating principles that can be applied across jurisdictions in order to harmonise international efforts to measure low-value prescribing. The outcomes of this research will be submitted to international peer-reviewed journals. Results will also be presented at national and

Privatization of solid waste collection services: Lessons from Gaborone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolaane, Benjamin; Isaac, Emmanuel

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We compared efficiency and effectiveness of waste collection by the public and private sector. • Public sector performs better than private sector in some areas and vice versa. • Outsourcing waste collection in developing countries is hindered by limited capacity on contractual issues. • Outsourcing collection in developing countries is hampered by inadequate waste information. • There is need to build capacity in the public sector of developing countries to support outsourcing. - Abstract: Formal privatization of solid waste collection activities has often been flagged as a suitable intervention for some of the challenges of solid waste management experienced by developing countries. Proponents of outsourcing collection to the private sector argue that in contrast to the public sector, it is more effective and efficient in delivering services. This essay is a comparative case study of efficiency and effectiveness attributes between the public and the formal private sector, in relation to the collection of commercial waste in Gaborone. The paper is based on analysis of secondary data and key informant interviews. It was found that while, the private sector performed comparatively well in most of the chosen indicators of efficiency and effectiveness, the public sector also had areas where it had a competitive advantage. For instance, the private sector used the collection crew more efficiently, while the public sector was found to have a more reliable workforce. The study recommends that, while formal private sector participation in waste collection has some positive effects in terms of quality of service rendered, in most developing countries, it has to be enhanced by building sufficient capacity within the public sector on information about services contracted out and evaluation of performance criteria within the contracting process

Privatization of solid waste collection services: Lessons from Gaborone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bolaane, Benjamin, E-mail: bolaaneb@mopipi.ub.bw; Isaac, Emmanuel, E-mail: eisaac300@gmail.com

2015-06-15

Highlights: • We compared efficiency and effectiveness of waste collection by the public and private sector. • Public sector performs better than private sector in some areas and vice versa. • Outsourcing waste collection in developing countries is hindered by limited capacity on contractual issues. • Outsourcing collection in developing countries is hampered by inadequate waste information. • There is need to build capacity in the public sector of developing countries to support outsourcing. - Abstract: Formal privatization of solid waste collection activities has often been flagged as a suitable intervention for some of the challenges of solid waste management experienced by developing countries. Proponents of outsourcing collection to the private sector argue that in contrast to the public sector, it is more effective and efficient in delivering services. This essay is a comparative case study of efficiency and effectiveness attributes between the public and the formal private sector, in relation to the collection of commercial waste in Gaborone. The paper is based on analysis of secondary data and key informant interviews. It was found that while, the private sector performed comparatively well in most of the chosen indicators of efficiency and effectiveness, the public sector also had areas where it had a competitive advantage. For instance, the private sector used the collection crew more efficiently, while the public sector was found to have a more reliable workforce. The study recommends that, while formal private sector participation in waste collection has some positive effects in terms of quality of service rendered, in most developing countries, it has to be enhanced by building sufficient capacity within the public sector on information about services contracted out and evaluation of performance criteria within the contracting process.

77 FR 43428 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Minority Bank Deposit Program...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-24

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of... Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and Request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial... collection. By this notice, the Financial Management Service solicits comments concerning form FMS 3144...

A methodology for collection and analysis of human error data based on a cognitive model: IDA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, S.-H.; Smidts, C.; Mosleh, A.

1997-01-01

This paper presents a model-based human error taxonomy and data collection. The underlying model, IDA (described in two companion papers), is a cognitive model of behavior developed for analysis of the actions of nuclear power plant operating crew during abnormal situations. The taxonomy is established with reference to three external reference points (i.e. plant status, procedures, and crew) and four reference points internal to the model (i.e. information collected, diagnosis, decision, action). The taxonomy helps the analyst: (1) recognize errors as such; (2) categorize the error in terms of generic characteristics such as 'error in selection of problem solving strategies' and (3) identify the root causes of the error. The data collection methodology is summarized in post event operator interview and analysis summary forms. The root cause analysis methodology is illustrated using a subset of an actual event. Statistics, which extract generic characteristics of error prone behaviors and error prone situations are presented. Finally, applications of the human error data collection are reviewed. A primary benefit of this methodology is to define better symptom-based and other auxiliary procedures with associated training to minimize or preclude certain human errors. It also helps in design of control rooms, and in assessment of human error probabilities in the probabilistic risk assessment framework. (orig.)

Proposal of a Methodology for Implementing a Service-Oriented Architecture in Distributed Manufacturing Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, I.; Garcia-Dominguez, A.; Aguayo, F.; Sevilla, L.; Marcos, M.

2009-11-01

As envisioned by Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS), Next Generation Manufacturing Systems (NGMS) will satisfy the needs of an increasingly fast-paced and demanding market by dynamically integrating systems from inside and outside the manufacturing firm itself into a so-called extended enterprise. However, organizing these systems to ensure the maximum flexibility and interoperability with those from other organizations is difficult. Additionally, a defect in the system would have a great impact: it would affect not only its owner, but also its partners. For these reasons, we argue that a service-oriented architecture (SOA) would be a good candidate. It should be designed following a methodology where services play a central role, instead of being an implementation detail. In order for the architecture to be reliable enough as a whole, the methodology will need to help find errors before they arise in a production environment. In this paper we propose using SOA-specific testing techniques, compare some of the existing methodologies and outline several extensions upon one of them to integrate testing techniques.

Household Response to Inadequate Sewerage and Garbage Collection Services in Abuja, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Abubakar, Ismaila Rimi

2017-01-01

Provision of sanitation and garbage collection services is an important and yet challenging issue in the rapidly growing cities of developing countries, with significant human health and environmental sustainability implications. Although a growing number of studies have investigated the consequences of inadequate delivery of basic urban services in developing countries, few studies have examined how households cope with the problems. Using the Exit, Voice, Loyalty, and Neglect (EVLN) model, this article explores how households respond to inadequate sewerage and garbage collection services in Abuja, Nigeria. Based on a qualitative study, data were gathered from in-depth interviews with sixty households, complemented with personal observation. The findings from grounded analysis indicated that majority (62%) and about half (55%) of the respondents have utilized the informal sector for sewerage services and garbage collection, respectively, to supplement the services provided by the city. While 68% of the respondents reported investing their personal resources to improve the delivery of existing sewerage services, half (53%) have collectively complained to the utility agency and few (22%) have neglected the problems. The paper concludes by discussing the public health and environmental sustainability implications of the findings.

Using soft systems methodology to develop a simulation of out-patient services.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehaney, B; Paul, R J

1994-10-01

Discrete event simulation is an approach to modelling a system in the form of a set of mathematical equations and logical relationships, usually used for complex problems, which are difficult to address by using analytical or numerical methods. Managing out-patient services is such a problem. However, simulation is not in itself a systemic approach, in that it provides no methodology by which system boundaries and system activities may be identified. The investigation considers the use of soft systems methodology as an aid to drawing system boundaries and identifying system activities, for the purpose of simulating the outpatients' department at a local hospital. The long term aims are to examine the effects that the participative nature of soft systems methodology has on the acceptability of the simulation model, and to provide analysts and managers with a process that may assist in planning strategies for health care.

78 FR 28619 - Proposed Information Collection; Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Banking Survey

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-15

...-FF09E31000] Proposed Information Collection; Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Banking Survey AGENCY... banking credits. The surveys will benefit the Service by helping to identify constraints in the current... Number: 1018-XXXX. This is a new collection. Title: Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Banking Survey...

26 CFR 601.102 - Classification of taxes collected by the Internal Revenue Service.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Rules § 601.102 Classification of taxes collected by the Internal Revenue Service. (a) Principal... 26 Internal Revenue 20 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Classification of taxes collected by the Internal Revenue Service. 601.102 Section 601.102 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF...

77 FR 9659 - General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; GSA Mentor...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-17

... Services Administration Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; GSA Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute... collection concerning the GSA Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program, General Service Administration...- 0286, GSA Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program by any of the following methods: Regulations.gov : http...

75 FR 1683 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Assignment Form

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-12

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Assignment Form AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice... Management Service, Records and Information Management Branch, Room 135, 3700 East West Highway, Hyattsville...

Methodology to collect data on decommissioning costs and occupational radiation exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrasch, P.; Roger, J.

1993-01-01

Decommissioning data collection has been, up to now, almost a national matter. The present joint study performed by NIS Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, Hanau, and the Commissariat a l'energie atomique, Unite de declassement d'installations nucleaires, and coordinated by the Commission of the European Communities, is intended to identify a methodology allowing the collection of data which are useful to manage a decommissioning project, e.g. data on dismantling costs, occupational radiation exposure and waste arisings. A common structure for decommissioning tasks (called working packages) derived from those already in use at the abovementioned organizations has been established and the corresponding first series of data-collection sheets defined in order to cover data from LWRs, GCRs (UNGGs) and nuclear fuel cycle installations. Work focused on the cost of decommissioning tasks. The study is intended to be a first step towards an EC-wide usable data-base for data generated in the various ongoing and future decommissioning projects

78 FR 15123 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Accountable Official...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-08

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of...) Program AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and Request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management Service, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork...

Resource selection for an interdisciplinary field: a methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacoby, Beth E; Murray, Jane; Alterman, Ina; Welbourne, Penny

2002-10-01

The Health Sciences and Human Services Library of the University of Maryland developed and implemented a methodology to evaluate print and digital resources for social work. Although this methodology was devised for the interdisciplinary field of social work, the authors believe it may lend itself to resource selection in other interdisciplinary fields. The methodology was developed in response to the results of two separate surveys conducted in late 1999, which indicated improvement was needed in the library's graduate-level social work collections. Library liaisons evaluated the print collection by identifying forty-five locally relevant Library of Congress subject headings and then using these subjects or synonymous terms to compare the library's titles to collections of peer institutions, publisher catalogs, and Amazon.com. The collection also was compared to social work association bibliographies, ISI Journal Citation Reports, and major social work citation databases. An approval plan for social work books was set up to assist in identifying newly published titles. The library acquired new print and digital social work resources as a result of the evaluation, thus improving both print and digital collections for its social work constituents. Visibility of digital resources was increased by cataloging individual titles in aggregated electronic journal packages and listing each title on the library Web page.

75 FR 5849 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Claim Against the United States...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-04

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of... Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and Request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial... collection. By this notice, the Financial Management Service solicits comments concerning the Form FMS-1133...

Linking employee perceptions of collective efficacy in self-managing service teams with customer-perceived service quality : a psychometric assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jong, de A.; Wetzels, M.G.M.; Ruyter, de J.C.

2008-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the linkage between self-managing team (SMT) member perceptions of collective efficacy and customer-perceived service quality, and the most cost-efficient way to reliably assess collective efficacy and customer-perceived service quality, using

77 FR 70451 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Methodological Studies for the Population Assessment of...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-26

... are no capital, operating or maintenance costs. Table 1--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden Summary... Collection: Title: Methodological Studies for Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. Type... concurrent basis]. Affected Public: Individuals. Type of Respondents: Youth (ages 12-17) and Adults (ages 18...

Pan-Canadian assessment of pandemic immunization data collection: study methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sikora Christopher A

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The collection of individual-level pandemic (H1N1 2009 influenza immunization data was considered important to facilitate optimal vaccine delivery and accurate assessment of vaccine coverage. These data are also critical for research aimed at evaluating the new vaccine's safety and effectiveness. Systems used to collect immunization data include manual approaches in which data are collected and retained on paper, electronic systems in which data are captured on computer at the point of vaccination and hybrid systems which are comprised of both computerized and manual data collection components. This study's objective was to compare the efficiencies and perceptions of data collection methods employed during Canada's pandemic (H1N1 2009 influenza vaccination campaign. Methods/Design A pan-Canadian observational study was conducted in a convenience sample of public health clinics and healthcare institutions during the H1N1 vaccination campaign in the fall of 2009. The study design consisted of three stages: Stage 1 involved passive observation of the site's layout, processes and client flow; Stage 2 entailed timing site staff on 20 clients through five core immunization tasks: i client registration, ii medical history collection, iii medical history review, iv vaccine administration record keeping and v preparation of proof of vaccine administration for the client; in Stage 3, site staff completed a questionnaire regarding perceived usability of the site's data collection approach. Before the national study began, a pilot study was conducted in three seasonal influenza vaccination sites in Ontario, to both test that the proposed methodology was logistically feasible and to determine inter-rater reliability in the measurements of the research staff. Comparative analyses will be conducted across the range of data collection methods with respect to time required to collect immunization data, number and type of individual-level data

ANALYSIS OF EFFECTIVENESS OF METHODOLOGICAL SYSTEM FOR PROBABILITY AND STOCHASTIC PROCESSES COMPUTER-BASED LEARNING FOR PRE-SERVICE ENGINEERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Chumak

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The author substantiates that only methodological training systems of mathematical disciplines with implementation of information and communication technologies (ICT can meet the requirements of modern educational paradigm and make possible to increase the educational efficiency. Due to this fact, the necessity of developing the methodology of theory of probability and stochastic processes computer-based learning for pre-service engineers is underlined in the paper. The results of the experimental study for analysis of the efficiency of methodological system of theory of probability and stochastic processes computer-based learning for pre-service engineers are shown. The analysis includes three main stages: ascertaining, searching and forming. The key criteria of the efficiency of designed methodological system are the level of probabilistic and stochastic skills of students and their learning motivation. The effect of implementing the methodological system of probability theory and stochastic processes computer-based learning on the level of students’ IT literacy is shown in the paper. The expanding of the range of objectives of ICT applying by students is described by author. The level of formation of students’ learning motivation on the ascertaining and forming stages of the experiment is analyzed. The level of intrinsic learning motivation for pre-service engineers is defined on these stages of the experiment. For this purpose, the methodology of testing the students’ learning motivation in the chosen specialty is presented in the paper. The increasing of intrinsic learning motivation of the experimental group students (E group against the control group students (C group is demonstrated.

Rehabilitating the Stroke Collection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary Grimmond

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Objective The aim of this project was to complete an analysis of monograph and audiovisual items held in the Central Coast Health Service (CCHS Libraries and containing information relevant to the treatment of acute stroke. Acute stroke is treated by multidisciplinary teams of clinicians based at two hospitals within the CCHS. The adequacy of the library collection was measured by subject coverage and age. Methods The methodology used consisted of three main steps: a literature review; design, administration, and analysis of a questionnaire to members of the CCHS Acute Stroke Team; and an analysis of the libraries’ collections. The research project utilised project management methodology and an evidence based librarianship framework. Results The questionnaire revealed that electronic resources were by far the most frequently used by participants, followed in order by print journals, books, interlibrary loan articles, and audiovisual items. Collection analysis demonstrated that the monograph and audiovisual collections were adequate in both scope and currency to support the information needs of Acute Stroke Team members, with the exception of resources to support patient education. Conclusion The researchers developed recommendations for future collection development in the area of acute stroke resources. Conducting this project within the evidence based librarianship framework helped to develop library staff members’ confidence in their ability to make future collection development decisions, informed by the target group’s information needs and preferences. The collection analysis methodology was designed to be replicated, and new specialist groups within the client base of the library will be targeted to repeat the collection analysis process.

Assessing the Ecological Footprint of Ecotourism Packages: A Methodological Proposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Serena Mancini

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Tourism represents a key economic sector worldwide, constituting great leverage for local economic development but also putting noticeable environmental pressures on local natural resources. Ecotourism may be a viable alternative to mass tourism to minimize impacts on ecosystems, but it needs shared sustainability standards and monitoring tools to evaluate impacts. This paper presents a first methodological proposition to calculate the environmental impact of ecotourism packages through the use of an ad-hoc, customized version of the Ecological Footprint methodology. It follows a participatory, bottom-up approach to collecting input data for the four main services (Accommodation, Food & Drinks, Activity & Service, and Mobility & Transfer provided to tourists through the use of surveys and stakeholders engagement. The outcome of our approach materializes in an excel-based ecotourism workbook capable of processing input data collected through surveys and returning Ecological Footprint values for specific ecotourism packages. Although applied to ecotourism in Mediterranean Protected Areas within the context of the DestiMED project, we believe that the methodology and approach presented here can constitute a blueprint and a benchmark for future studies dealing with the impact of ecotourism packages.

In-flight food delivery and waste collection service: the passengers’ perspective and potential improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Romli, F. I.; Rahman, K. Abdul; Ishak, F. D.

2016-10-01

Increased competition in the commercial air transportation industry has made service quality of the airlines as one of the key competitive measures to attract passengers against their rivals. In-flight services, particularly food delivery and waste collection, have a notable impact on perception of the overall airline's service quality because they are directly and interactively provided to passengers during flight. An online public survey is conducted to explore general passengers' perception of current in-flight food delivery and waste collection services, and to identify potential rooms for improvement. The obtained survey results indicate that in-flight service does have an effect on passengers' choice of airlines. Several weaknesses of the current service method and possible improvements have been established from the collected responses.

47 CFR 64.1510 - Billing and collection of pay-per-call and similar service charges.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Pay-Per-Call and Other Information Services § 64.1510 Billing and collection of pay-per-call and... pay-per-call services and offering billing and collection services to such provider shall: (1) Ensure... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Billing and collection of pay-per-call and...

Implementation and evaluation of a pharmacist-led hypertension management service in primary care: outcomes and methodological challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajorek, Beata; Lemay, Kate S; Magin, Parker; Roberts, Christopher; Krass, Ines; Armour, Carol L

2016-01-01

Suboptimal utilisation of pharmacotherapy, non-adherence to prescribed treatment, and a lack of monitoring all contribute to poor blood (BP) pressure control in patients with hypertension. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a pharmacist-led hypertension management service in terms of processes, outcomes, and methodological challenges. A prospective, controlled study was undertaken within the Australian primary care setting. Community pharmacists were recruited to one of three study groups: Group A (Control - usual care), Group B (Intervention), or Group C (Short Intervention). Pharmacists in Groups B and C delivered a service comprising screening and monitoring of BP, as well as addressing poor BP control through therapeutic adjustment and adherence strategies. Pharmacists in Group C delivered the shortened version of the service. Significant changes to key outcome measures were observed in Group C: reduction in systolic and diastolic BPs at the 3-month visit (P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively), improvement in medication adherence scores (P=0.01), and a slight improvement in quality of life (EQ-5D-3L Index) scores (P=0.91). There were no significant changes in Group B (the full intervention), and no differences in comparison to Group A (usual care). Pharmacists fed-back that patient recruitment was a key barrier to service implementation, highlighting the methodological implications of screening. A collaborative, pharmacist-led hypertension management service can help monitor BP, improve medication adherence, and optimise therapy in a step-wise approach. However, blood pressure screening can effect behaviour change in patients, presenting methodological challenges in the evaluation of services in this context.

Implementation and evaluation of a pharmacist-led hypertension management service in primary care: outcomes and methodological challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bajorek B

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Suboptimal utilisation of pharmacotherapy, non-adherence to prescribed treatment, and a lack of monitoring all contribute to poor blood (BP pressure control in patients with hypertension. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a pharmacist-led hypertension management service in terms of processes, outcomes, and methodological challenges. Method: A prospective, controlled study was undertaken within the Australian primary care setting. Community pharmacists were recruited to one of three study groups: Group A (Control – usual care, Group B (Intervention, or Group C (Short Intervention. Pharmacists in Groups B and C delivered a service comprising screening and monitoring of BP, as well as addressing poor BP control through therapeutic adjustment and adherence strategies. Pharmacists in Group C delivered the shortened version of the service. Results: Significant changes to key outcome measures were observed in Group C: reduction in systolic and diastolic BPs at the 3-month visit (P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively, improvement in medication adherence scores (P=0.01, and a slight improvement in quality of life (EQ-5D-3L Index scores (P=0.91. There were no significant changes in Group B (the full intervention, and no differences in comparison to Group A (usual care. Pharmacists fed-back that patient recruitment was a key barrier to service implementation, highlighting the methodological implications of screening. Conclusion: A collaborative, pharmacist-led hypertension management service can help monitor BP, improve medication adherence, and optimise therapy in a step-wise approach. However, blood pressure screening can effect behaviour change in patients, presenting methodological challenges in the evaluation of services in this context.

77 FR 30050 - Financial Management Service Proposed Collection of Information: Resolution Authorizing Execution...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-21

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service Proposed Collection of... Depositary, Financial Agency, and Collateral Agreement AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management Service, as part of...

Balancing work and family in the low-wage service sector: the role of legislated and collectively-bargained norms in Quebec.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstein, Stéphanie

2011-01-01

This paper looks at the role of legislated norms of general application in shaping "family-friendly" workplaces and their interaction with collectively-bargained standards in the retail service sector and more specifically, in a single unionized retail sector in Quebec, Canada. The methodology used is traditional legal research methodology: analysis of laws, collective agreements and case law. The principal norms examined concern parental and family leave, working time and disparities between different employment statuses. A series of legislative provisions have been adopted in Quebec over the last 30 years whose objectives are the improvement of family-related leave and the reduction of working time. Unions have also negotiated provisions in collective agreements with these same goals. In the low-wage retail sector studied, the working time standards negotiated between the unions and the employers reflect the characteristics of the sector, most notably extended opening hours, seven days a week. Predictability of hours also varies according to employment status. Such issues as family-unfriendly working time arrangements (last-minute scheduling, asocial hours, etc.) and the need for flexibility in family-related leave are insufficiently taken into account by the legislated and bargained provisions. A fine analysis and comprehension of existing formal regulation, be it legislated or collectively-bargained, is required to fully understand workers' experiences with work-family balance and to identify the gaps between formal norms and the needs expressed by workers with respect to work-family balance.

An inexpensive, interdisciplinary, methodology to conduct an impact study of homeless persons on hospital based services.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, R David; Regier, Michael; Brown, Zachary; Davis, Stephen

2015-02-01

Homelessness is a primary concern for community health. Scientific literature on homelessness is wide ranging and diverse. One opportunity to add to existing literature is the development and testing of affordable, easily implemented methods for measuring the impact of homeless on the healthcare system. Such methodological approaches rely on the strengths in a multidisciplinary approach, including providers, both healthcare and homeless services and applied clinical researchers. This paper is a proof of concept for a methodology which is easily adaptable nationwide, given the mandated implementation of homeless management information systems in the United States and other countries; medical billing systems by hospitals; and research methods of researchers. Adaptation is independent of geographic region, budget restraints, specific agency skill sets, and many other factors that impact the application of a consistent methodological science based approach to assess and address homelessness. We conducted a secondary data analysis merging data from homeless utilization and hospital case based data. These data detailed care utilization among homeless persons in a small, Appalachian city in the United States. In our sample of 269 persons who received at least one hospital based service and one homeless service between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013, the total billed costs were $5,979,463 with 10 people costing more than one-third ($1,957,469) of the total. Those persons were primarily men, living in an emergency shelter, with pre-existing disabling conditions. We theorize that targeted services, including Housing First, would be an effective intervention. This is proposed in a future study.

Identifying the critical success factors in the coverage of low vision services using the classification analysis and regression tree methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, Peggy Pei-Chia; Xie, Jing; Keeffe, Jill Elizabeth

2011-04-25

To identify the critical success factors (CSF) associated with coverage of low vision services. Data were collected from a survey distributed to Vision 2020 contacts, government, and non-government organizations (NGOs) in 195 countries. The Classification and Regression Tree Analysis (CART) was used to identify the critical success factors of low vision service coverage. Independent variables were sourced from the survey: policies, epidemiology, provision of services, equipment and infrastructure, barriers to services, human resources, and monitoring and evaluation. Socioeconomic and demographic independent variables: health expenditure, population statistics, development status, and human resources in general, were sourced from the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, and the United Nations (UN). The findings identified that having >50% of children obtaining devices when prescribed (χ(2) = 44; P 3 rehabilitation workers per 10 million of population (χ(2) = 4.50; P = 0.034), higher percentage of population urbanized (χ(2) = 14.54; P = 0.002), a level of private investment (χ(2) = 14.55; P = 0.015), and being fully funded by government (χ(2) = 6.02; P = 0.014), are critical success factors associated with coverage of low vision services. This study identified the most important predictors for countries with better low vision coverage. The CART is a useful and suitable methodology in survey research and is a novel way to simplify a complex global public health issue in eye care.

75 FR 42486 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Authorization Agreement for...

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2010-07-21

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Authorization Agreement for Preauthorized Payment (SF 5510) AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management...

75 FR 3906 - Request for Public Comment: 30-Day Proposed Information Collection: Indian Health Service...

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2010-01-25

... Proposed Information Collection: Indian Health Service Customer Satisfaction Survey AGENCY: Indian Health...: 0917-NEW, ``Indian Health Service Customer Satisfaction Survey.'' Type of Information Collection... facilities programs will make improvements that will result in improved quality of services. Voluntary...

75 FR 31745 - Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; National Veterinary Services...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-04

...] Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; National Veterinary Services Laboratories... collection associated with the National Veterinary Services Laboratories animal health diagnostic system...: For information on request forms associated with the National Veterinary Services Laboratories animal...

75 FR 48303 - Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Veterinary Services...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-10

...] Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Veterinary Services; Customer... extension of approval of an information collection to evaluate service delivery by Veterinary Services to... INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the Veterinary Services customer service survey, contact Ms. Pam Hart...

A Methodological Approach for Assessing Amplified Reflection Distributed Denial of Service on the Internet of Things.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa Gondim, João José; de Oliveira Albuquerque, Robson; Clayton Alves Nascimento, Anderson; García Villalba, Luis Javier; Kim, Tai-Hoon

2016-11-04

Concerns about security on Internet of Things (IoT) cover data privacy and integrity, access control, and availability. IoT abuse in distributed denial of service attacks is a major issue, as typical IoT devices' limited computing, communications, and power resources are prioritized in implementing functionality rather than security features. Incidents involving attacks have been reported, but without clear characterization and evaluation of threats and impacts. The main purpose of this work is to methodically assess the possible impacts of a specific class-amplified reflection distributed denial of service attacks (AR-DDoS)-against IoT. The novel approach used to empirically examine the threat represented by running the attack over a controlled environment, with IoT devices, considered the perspective of an attacker. The methodology used in tests includes that perspective, and actively prospects vulnerabilities in computer systems. This methodology defines standardized procedures for tool-independent vulnerability assessment based on strategy, and the decision flows during execution of penetration tests (pentests). After validation in different scenarios, the methodology was applied in amplified reflection distributed denial of service (AR-DDoS) attack threat assessment. Results show that, according to attack intensity, AR-DDoS saturates reflector infrastructure. Therefore, concerns about AR-DDoS are founded, but expected impact on abused IoT infrastructure and devices will be possibly as hard as on final victims.

A Methodological Approach for Assessing Amplified Reflection Distributed Denial of Service on the Internet of Things

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João José Costa Gondim

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Concerns about security on Internet of Things (IoT cover data privacy and integrity, access control, and availability. IoT abuse in distributed denial of service attacks is a major issue, as typical IoT devices’ limited computing, communications, and power resources are prioritized in implementing functionality rather than security features. Incidents involving attacks have been reported, but without clear characterization and evaluation of threats and impacts. The main purpose of this work is to methodically assess the possible impacts of a specific class–amplified reflection distributed denial of service attacks (AR-DDoS–against IoT. The novel approach used to empirically examine the threat represented by running the attack over a controlled environment, with IoT devices, considered the perspective of an attacker. The methodology used in tests includes that perspective, and actively prospects vulnerabilities in computer systems. This methodology defines standardized procedures for tool-independent vulnerability assessment based on strategy, and the decision flows during execution of penetration tests (pentests. After validation in different scenarios, the methodology was applied in amplified reflection distributed denial of service (AR-DDoS attack threat assessment. Results show that, according to attack intensity, AR-DDoS saturates reflector infrastructure. Therefore, concerns about AR-DDoS are founded, but expected impact on abused IoT infrastructure and devices will be possibly as hard as on final victims.

A Methodological Approach for Assessing Amplified Reflection Distributed Denial of Service on the Internet of Things

Science.gov (United States)

Costa Gondim, João José; de Oliveira Albuquerque, Robson; Clayton Alves Nascimento, Anderson; García Villalba, Luis Javier; Kim, Tai-Hoon

2016-01-01

Concerns about security on Internet of Things (IoT) cover data privacy and integrity, access control, and availability. IoT abuse in distributed denial of service attacks is a major issue, as typical IoT devices’ limited computing, communications, and power resources are prioritized in implementing functionality rather than security features. Incidents involving attacks have been reported, but without clear characterization and evaluation of threats and impacts. The main purpose of this work is to methodically assess the possible impacts of a specific class–amplified reflection distributed denial of service attacks (AR-DDoS)–against IoT. The novel approach used to empirically examine the threat represented by running the attack over a controlled environment, with IoT devices, considered the perspective of an attacker. The methodology used in tests includes that perspective, and actively prospects vulnerabilities in computer systems. This methodology defines standardized procedures for tool-independent vulnerability assessment based on strategy, and the decision flows during execution of penetration tests (pentests). After validation in different scenarios, the methodology was applied in amplified reflection distributed denial of service (AR-DDoS) attack threat assessment. Results show that, according to attack intensity, AR-DDoS saturates reflector infrastructure. Therefore, concerns about AR-DDoS are founded, but expected impact on abused IoT infrastructure and devices will be possibly as hard as on final victims. PMID:27827931

75 FR 57737 - Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; National Veterinary Services...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-22

...] Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; National Veterinary Services Laboratories... Service's intention to request approval of an information collection associated with National Veterinary...' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2908. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: National Veterinary...

A Methodology for Collective Evaluation and Selection of Industrial R&D Projects

OpenAIRE

Muhittin Oral; Ossama Kettani; Pascal Lang

1991-01-01

This paper proposes a methodology for evaluating and selecting R&D projects in a collective decision setting, especially useful at sectorial and national levels. It consists of two major phases: Evaluation and Selection. The evaluation process repeatedly uses mathematical programming models to determine the "relative values" of a given R&D project from the viewpoint of the other R&D projects. The selection process of R&D projects is based on these "relative values" and is done through a model...

Relationship between EFL In-service Teachers’ Language Learning Strategies and their Beliefs toward Teaching Methodologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musa Farmanlu

2014-11-01

Full Text Available By the advent of new theories and approaches toward language teaching, a lot of attention has been paid to the role of those approaches on language learners. Superiority of psychology and linguistics in the area of language teaching urged scholars to develop new theories and techniques through a defined procedure. Most of the time the role of teacher’s experience as learner has been neglected. The present study was an attempt to investigate the relationship between EFL In-service teachers’ language learning strategies and their beliefs toward teaching methodologies. To find the relationship, a questionnaire was applied. The questionnaire in the study consists of three measures: (1 the individual background; (2 strategy inventory for language learning (Version 7.0 for ESL/EFL, Oxford, 1990; and, (3 beliefs toward English teaching methodologies (Chen, 2005. It was given to 252 in-service English teachers (136 female, 116 male majoring in TEFL. To analyze the quantitative data of the present study, descriptive as well as inferential analysis including ANOVA and Pearson’s correlations were used to investigate the relationships between language learning strategies and teaching beliefs toward EFL methodologies. Based on the teachers’ answers to the questionnaire, there was a meaningful relationship between language learning strategies and teacher’s methodology. The information provided in the present research can be helpful for teachers, policy holders of institutes and material developers. This study has also some implications for the researchers interested in teacher’s education studies.

SNMG: a social-level norm-based methodology for macro-governing service collaboration processes

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ji; Lv, Hexin; Jin, Zhiyong; Xu, Ping

2017-08-01

In order to adapt to the accelerative open tendency of collaborations between enterprises, this paper proposes a Social-level Norm-based methodology for Macro-Governing service collaboration processes, called SNMG, to regulate and control the social-level visible macro-behaviors of the social individuals participating in collaborations. SNMG not only can remove effectively the uncontrollability hindrance confronted with by open social activities, but also enables across-management-domain collaborations to be implemented by uniting the centralized controls of social individuals for respective social activities. Therefore, this paper provides a brand-new system construction mode to promote the development and large-scale deployment of service collaborations.

Time-to-event methodology improved statistical evaluation in register-based health services research.

Science.gov (United States)

Bluhmki, Tobias; Bramlage, Peter; Volk, Michael; Kaltheuner, Matthias; Danne, Thomas; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Beyersmann, Jan

2017-02-01

Complex longitudinal sampling and the observational structure of patient registers in health services research are associated with methodological challenges regarding data management and statistical evaluation. We exemplify common pitfalls and want to stimulate discussions on the design, development, and deployment of future longitudinal patient registers and register-based studies. For illustrative purposes, we use data from the prospective, observational, German DIabetes Versorgungs-Evaluation register. One aim was to explore predictors for the initiation of a basal insulin supported therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes initially prescribed to glucose-lowering drugs alone. Major challenges are missing mortality information, time-dependent outcomes, delayed study entries, different follow-up times, and competing events. We show that time-to-event methodology is a valuable tool for improved statistical evaluation of register data and should be preferred to simple case-control approaches. Patient registers provide rich data sources for health services research. Analyses are accompanied with the trade-off between data availability, clinical plausibility, and statistical feasibility. Cox' proportional hazards model allows for the evaluation of the outcome-specific hazards, but prediction of outcome probabilities is compromised by missing mortality information. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

78 FR 44521 - Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Veterinary Services...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-24

...] Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Veterinary Services Customer... an extension of approval of an information collection to evaluate service delivery by Veterinary... coming. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the Veterinary Services customer service...

Methodological application of Location of service Public Bike. Service MUyBICI of Murcia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LiÑan Ruiz, R.J.; Berenguer Sempere, F.J.; Vera Lopez, J.A.; Pabon Dueñas, A.B.; Merino Cordoba, S.

2016-07-01

The use of non-motorized means of transport such as the bicycle, brings many benefits to the user and for the city in terms of costs and health for the first and decreased environmental pollution for the city. To find the optimal location for placement of the different parties to public bike, aims to attract the usual user and potential, have the feasibility of switching modes without any restrictions, while generating the ability to balance the demands users towards sustainable modes of transport, with special attention to cycling and public bike loan. The implementation of this methodology is performed in the municipality of Murcia (Spain) due to the opening of its public bicycle system MUyBICI which will have 60 benches, with a total of 1,200 posts anchor and put into circulation 600 public bicycles. As selection criteria to be considered for the optimal location of the beds, the existing network of bike paths were considered, roads used by all users of the public highway, a description of travel and a database information with different land uses and socioeconomic data transport areas. In this paper an analysis model and application for optimal design of banking locations for Murcia MUyBICI service occurs. Specifically, they define what are the best locations to attract a larger number of users, in order to achieve a change in the percentage of the modal split of the municipality, increasing the number of users MUyBICI service. This work comes under the direction of the Bicycle Office of Murcia, part of the ALEM (Local Agency for Energy and Environment) service under the Department of Environment of the City of Murcia. (Author)

Comprehensive Revenue and Expense Data Collection Methodology for Teaching Health Centers: A Model for Accountable Graduate Medical Education Financing.

Science.gov (United States)

Regenstein, Marsha; Snyder, John E; Jewers, Mariellen Malloy; Nocella, Kiki; Mullan, Fitzhugh

2018-04-01

Despite considerable federal investment, graduate medical education financing is neither transparent for estimating residency training costs nor accountable for effectively producing a physician workforce that matches the nation's health care needs. The Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program's authorization in 2010 provided an opportunity to establish a more transparent financing mechanism. We developed a standardized methodology for quantifying the necessary investment to train primary care physicians in high-need communities. The THCGME Costing Instrument was designed utilizing guidance from site visits, financial documentation, and expert review. It collects educational outlays, patient service expenses and revenues from residents' ambulatory and inpatient care, and payer mix. The instrument was fielded from April to November 2015 in 43 THCGME-funded residency programs of varying specialties and organizational structures. Of the 43 programs, 36 programs (84%) submitted THCGME Costing Instruments. The THCGME Costing Instrument collected standardized, detailed cost data on residency labor (n = 36), administration and educational outlays (n = 33), ambulatory care visits and payer mix (n = 30), patient service expenses (n =  26), and revenues generated by residents (n = 26), in contrast to Medicare cost reports, which include only costs incurred by residency programs. The THCGME Costing Instrument provides a model for calculating evidence-based costs and revenues of community-based residency programs, and it enhances accountability by offering an approach that estimates residency costs and revenues in a range of settings. The instrument may have feasibility and utility for application in other residency training settings.

Measuring e-Commerce service quality from online customer review using sentiment analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kencana Sari, Puspita; Alamsyah, Andry; Wibowo, Sulistyo

2018-03-01

The biggest e-Commerce challenge to understand their market is to chart their level of service quality according to customer perception. The opportunities to collect user perception through online user review is considered faster methodology than conducting direct sampling methodology. To understand the service quality level, sentiment analysis methodology is used to classify the reviews into positive and negative sentiment for five dimensions of electronic service quality (e-Servqual). As case study in this research, we use Tokopedia, one of the biggest e-Commerce service in Indonesia. We obtain the online review comments about Tokopedia service quality during several month observations. The Naïve Bayes classification methodology is applied for the reason of its high-level accuracy and support large data processing. The result revealed that personalization and reliability dimension required more attention because have high negative sentiment. Meanwhile, trust and web design dimension have high positive sentiments that means it has very good services. The responsiveness dimension have balance sentiment positive and negative.

The art and science of data curation: Lessons learned from constructing a virtual collection

Science.gov (United States)

Bugbee, Kaylin; Ramachandran, Rahul; Maskey, Manil; Gatlin, Patrick

2018-03-01

A digital, or virtual, collection is a value added service developed by libraries that curates information and resources around a topic, theme or organization. Adoption of the virtual collection concept as an Earth science data service improves the discoverability, accessibility and usability of data both within individual data centers but also across data centers and disciplines. In this paper, we introduce a methodology for systematically and rigorously curating Earth science data and information into a cohesive virtual collection. This methodology builds on the geocuration model of searching, selecting and synthesizing Earth science data, metadata and other information into a single and useful collection. We present our experiences curating a virtual collection for one of NASA's twelve Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs), the Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC), and describe lessons learned as a result of this curation effort. We also provide recommendations and best practices for data centers and data providers who wish to curate virtual collections for the Earth sciences.

Assessing the service quality in Software-as-a-Service from the customers’ perspective: a methodological approach and case of use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Luís Policani Freitas

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Despite the advances in the evaluation of the quality of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS, new studies seem to be necessary, since the existing criticisms concerning the SERVQUAL scale and the lack of studies concerning the use of SERVPERF for this purpose. This work aims to fulfil this gap by proposing a methodological approach to assess the SaaS service quality by measuring SaaS customers’ satisfaction. Factor analysis is used to summarize the information contained in the original items into a smaller set of new dimensions and Quartile analysis is suggested to determine the most critical items. By conducting a study, the factors that most influence customer’s satisfaction are customer service, customer assistance and the reliability of SaaS. Most of the critical items are associated with the transparency and accuracy in correcting errors, the company's interest in solving customer problems, SaaS application's ability to meet business requirements, implemented updates and regularity of service performance.

Journeying from the philosophical contemplation of constructivism to the methodological pragmatics of health services research.

Science.gov (United States)

Appleton, Jane V; King, Lindy

2002-12-01

This paper presents our journey through a contemplation of the philosophical origins of constructivism to consider its role as an active methodology in qualitative research. The first part of the paper summarizes the philosophical background of constructivism and the five principles underpinning this paradigm as described through the works of Guba and Lincoln. The philosophical roots of constructivism are then compared with postpositivism, critical realism and participatory inquiry. The paper moves on to consider their common methodological steps, before examining how the constructivist research strategy is being adopted and adapted within the pragmatics of health service research. Recent studies will be drawn upon to illustrate the use of constructivist methodology. Questions are raised about the role of philosophy and the extent to which it should or does underpin or influence qualitative research strategies. We believe that if researchers gain an understanding of both philosophy and methodology a richer and more robust study is likely to result.

77 FR 37959 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Pools and Associations-Annual...

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2012-06-25

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Pools and Associations--Annual Letter AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management Service, as part of...

76 FR 23860 - Financial Management Service Proposed Collection of Information: Schedule of Excess Risks

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-28

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service Proposed Collection of Information: Schedule of Excess Risks AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management Service, as part of its continuing...

#eVALUate: Monetizing Service Acquisition Trade-offs Using the QUALITY-INFUSED Price Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-01

they determine their source selection methodology along the best-value spectrum, ranging from lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) to full...sidering factors determined to be germane to service value to the agency (Finkenstadt, 2015). Once an offeror’s prices are determined to be fair and... determine whether the quality rating system would affect the quality trade-off. In this case, the highest priced yet highest rated offeror was selected

Three models of community mental health services In low-income countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

De Silva Mary

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective To compare and contrast three models of community mental health services in low-income settings. Data Sources/Study Setting Primary and secondary data collected before, during, and after site visits to mental health programs in Nigeria, the Philippines, and India. Study Design Qualitative case study methodology. Data Collection Data were collected through interviews and observations during site visits to the programs, as well as from reviews of documentary evidence. Principal Findings A set of narrative topics and program indicators were used to compare and contrast three community mental health programs in low-income countries. This allowed us to identify a diversity of service delivery models, common challenges, and the strengths and weaknesses of each program. More definitive evaluations will require the establishment of data collection methods and information systems that provide data about the clinical and social outcomes of clients, as well as their use of services. Conclusions Community mental health programs in low-income countries face a number of challenges. Using a case study methodology developed for this purpose, it is possible to compare programs and begin to assess the effectiveness of diverse service delivery models.

A Review of Citation Analysis Methodologies for Collection Management

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Kristin; Doucette, Lise

2012-01-01

While there is a considerable body of literature that presents the results of citation analysis studies, most researchers do not provide enough detail in their methodology to reproduce the study, nor do they provide rationale for methodological decisions. In this paper, we review the methodologies used in 34 recent articles that present a…

77 FR 71035 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT...

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2012-11-28

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Market Research Study AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and Request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management...

75 FR 4451 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Final Rule-Management of...

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2010-01-27

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Final Rule--Management of Federal Agency Disbursements. AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and Request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management...

75 FR 22680 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Annual Financial Statement of...

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2010-04-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Annual Financial Statement of Surety Companies--Schedule F AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and Request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management...

75 FR 45600 - Information Collection; Customer Data Worksheet Request for Service Center Information Management...

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2010-08-03

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Information Collection; Customer Data Worksheet Request for Service Center Information Management System (SCIMS) Record Changes AGENCY: Farm Service... Customer Data Worksheet Request for Service Center Information Management System (SCIMS) that contains the...

Household food waste collection: Building service networks through neighborhood expansion.

Science.gov (United States)

Armington, William R; Chen, Roger B

2018-04-17

In this paper we develop a residential food waste collection analysis and modeling framework that captures transportation costs faced by service providers in their initial stages of service provision. With this framework and model, we gain insights into network transportation costs and investigate possible service expansion scenarios faced by these organizations. We solve a vehicle routing problem (VRP) formulated for the residential neighborhood context using a heuristic approach developed. The scenarios considered follow a narrative where service providers start with an initial neighborhood or community and expands to incorporate other communities and their households. The results indicate that increasing household participation, decreases the travel time and cost per household, up to a critical threshold, beyond which we see marginal time and cost improvements. Additionally, the results indicate different outcomes in expansion scenarios depending on the household density of incorporated neighborhoods. As household participation and density increases, the travel time per household in the network decreases. However, at approximately 10-20 households per km 2 , the decrease in travel time per household is marginal, suggesting a lowerbound household density threshold. Finally, we show in food waste collection, networks share common scaling effects with respect to travel time and costs, regardless of the number of nodes and links. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

42 CFR 441.472 - Budget methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Budget methodology. 441.472 Section 441.472 Public... Self-Directed Personal Assistance Services Program § 441.472 Budget methodology. (a) The State shall set forth a budget methodology that ensures service authorization resides with the State and meets the...

Transmission pricing: paradigms and methodologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shirmohammadi, Dariush [Pacific Gas and Electric Co., San Francisco, CA (United States); Vieira Filho, Xisto; Gorenstin, Boris [Centro de Pesquisas de Energia Eletrica (CEPEL), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Pereira, Mario V.P. [Power System Research, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

1994-12-31

In this paper we describe the principles of several paradigms and methodologies for pricing transmission services. The paper outlines some of the main characteristics of these paradigms and methodologies such as where they may be used for best results. Due to their popularity, power flow based MW-mile and short run marginal cost pricing methodologies will be covered in some detail. We conclude the paper with examples of the application of these two pricing methodologies for pricing transmission services in Brazil. (author) 25 refs., 2 tabs.

A GIS methodology to identify potential corn stover collection locations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haddad, Monica A. [Department of Community and Regional Planning, 583 College of Design, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-3095 (United States); Anderson, Paul F. [Department of Landscape Architecture, 481 College of Design, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 (United States); Department of Agronomy, 481 College of Design, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 (United States)

2008-12-15

In this study, we use geographic information systems technology to identify potential locations in a Midwestern region for collection and storage of corn stover for use as biomass feedstock. Spatial location models are developed to identify potential collection sites along an existing railroad. Site suitability analysis is developed based on two main models: agronomic productivity potential and environmental costs. The analysis includes the following steps: (1) elaboration of site selection criteria; (2) identification of the study region and service area based on transportation network analysis; (3) reclassification of input spatial layers based on common scales; (4) overlaying the reclassified spatial layers with equal weights to generate the two main models; and (5) overlaying the main models using different weights. A pluralistic approach is adopted, presenting three different scenarios as alternatives for the potential locations. Our results suggest that there is a significant subset of potential sites that meet site selection criteria. Additional studies are needed to evaluate potential sites through field visits, assess economic and social costs, and estimate the proportion of corn producers willing to sell and transport corn stover to collection facilities. (author)

77 FR 15370 - General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; Price Reductions...

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2012-03-15

... Services Administration Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; Price Reductions Clause; Extension... notice of request for comments regarding OMB Control No. 3090-0235, Price Reductions Clause, published in... 16, 2012. ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 3090- 0235, Price...

Tracer methodology: an appropriate tool for assessing compliance with accreditation standards?

Science.gov (United States)

Bouchard, Chantal; Jean, Olivier

2017-10-01

Tracer methodology has been used by Accreditation Canada since 2008 to collect evidence on the quality and safety of care and services, and to assess compliance with accreditation standards. Given the importance of this methodology in the accreditation program, the objective of this study is to assess the quality of the methodology and identify its strengths and weaknesses. A mixed quantitative and qualitative approach was adopted to evaluate consistency, appropriateness, effectiveness and stakeholder synergy in applying the methodology. An online questionnaire was sent to 468 Accreditation Canada surveyors. According to surveyors' perceptions, tracer methodology is an effective tool for collecting useful, credible and reliable information to assess compliance with Qmentum program standards and priority processes. The results show good coherence between methodology components (appropriateness of the priority processes evaluated, activities to evaluate a tracer, etc.). The main weaknesses are the time constraints faced by surveyors and management's lack of cooperation during the evaluation of tracers. The inadequate amount of time allowed for the methodology to be applied properly raises questions about the quality of the information obtained. This study paves the way for a future, more in-depth exploration of the identified weaknesses to help the accreditation organization make more targeted improvements to the methodology. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Performing Ecosystem Services at Mud Flats in Seocheon, Korea: Using Q Methodology for Cooperative Decision Making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae-Hyuck Lee

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The concept of ecosystem services, which are the direct and indirect benefits of nature to humans, has been established as a supporting tool to increase the efficiency in decision-making regarding environmental planning. However, preceding studies on decision-making in relation to ecosystem services have been limited to identifying differences in perception, whereas few studies have reported cooperative alternatives. Therefore, this study aimed to present a method for cooperative decision-making among ecosystem service stakeholders using Q methodology. The results showed three perspectives on ecosystem services of small mud flat areas: ecological function, ecotourism, and human activity. The perspectives on cultural services and regulating services were diverse, whereas those on supporting services were similar. Thus, supporting services were considered crucial for the cooperative assessment and management of small mud flat ecosystems as well as for the scientific evaluation of regulating services. Furthermore, this study identified practical implementation measures to increase production through land management, to manufacture related souvenirs, and to link them to ecotourism. Overall, our results demonstrated the ideal process of cooperative decision-making to improve ecosystem services.

The internal audit of clinical areas: a pilot of the internal audit methodology in a health service emergency department.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Alison; Santilli, Mario; Scott, Belinda

2015-12-01

Governing bodies of health services need assurance that major risks to achieving the health service objectives are being controlled. Currently, the main assurance mechanisms generated within the organization are through the review of implementation of policies and procedures and review of clinical audits and quality data. The governing bodies of health services need more robust, objective data to inform their understanding of the control of clinical risks. Internal audit provides a methodological framework that provides independent and objective assurance to the governing body on the control of significant risks. The article describes the pilot of the internal audit methodology in an emergency unit in a health service. An internal auditor was partnered with a clinical expert to assess the application of clinical criteria based on best practice guidelines. The pilot of the internal audit of a clinical area was successful in identifying significant clinical risks that required further management. The application of an internal audit methodology to a clinical area is a promising mechanism to gain robust assurance at the governance level regarding the management of significant clinical risks. This approach needs further exploration and trial in a range of health care settings. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

76 FR 54474 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request New proposed collection, Biospecimen and Physical...

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2011-09-01

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request New proposed collection, Biospecimen and Physical Measures Formative Research Methodology... and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve the information collection listed below. This...

Development of a novel set of criteria to select methodology for designing product service systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tuananh Tran

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes eight groups of twenty nine scoring criteria that can help designers and practitioners to compare and select an appropriate methodology for a certain problem in designing product service system (PSS. PSS has been researched for more than a decade and is now becoming more and more popular in academia as well as industry. Despite that fact, the adoption of PSS is still limited for its potential. One of the main reasons is that designing PSS itself is a challenge. Designers and developers face difficulties in choosing appropriate PSS design methodologies for their projects so that they can design effective PSS offerings. By proposing eight groups of twenty nine scoring criteria, this paper enables a “step by step” process to identify the most appropriate design methodology for a company’s PSS problem. An example is also introduced to illustrate the use of the proposed scoring criteria and provide a clear picture of how different design methodologies can be utilized at their best in terms of application.

Small rural emergency services can electronically collect accurate episode-level data: A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Samantha L; Baker, Tim; Salzman, Scott

2015-04-01

There is little evidence that useful electronic data could be collected at Australian small rural emergency services. If in future their funding model changed to the Activity-Based Funding model, then they would need to collect and submit more data. We determine whether it is possible to collect episode-level data at six small rural emergency services and quantify the accuracy of eight fields. A prospective cross-sectional study. South-West Victoria, Australia. Six small rural emergency services. We collected and audited episode-level emergency data from participating services between 1 February 2011 and 31 January 2012. A random sample of these data were audited monthly. Research assistants located at each service supported data entry and audited data accuracy for four hours per week. Rates for data completeness, accuracy and total accuracy were calculated using audit data. Episode-level data were collected for 20 224 presentations across six facilities. The audit dataset consisted of 8.5% (1504/17 627) of presentations from five facilities. For all fields audited, the accuracy of entered data was high (>93%).Triage category was deemed appropriate for 95.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 94.9-96.9%) of the patient records reviewed. Some procedures were missing (28.7%, 95%CI: 27.2-30.3%). No significant improvement in data accuracy over 12 months was observed. All six services collected useful episode-level data for 12-months with four hours per week of assistance. Data entry accuracy was high for all fields audited, and data entry completeness was low for procedures. © 2015 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

75 FR 4450 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form

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2010-01-27

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and Request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management Service, as part of its...

76 FR 23859 - Financial Management Service Proposed Collection of Information: CMIA Annual Report and Direct...

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2011-04-28

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service Proposed Collection of Information: CMIA Annual Report and Direct Cost Claims AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management Service, as part of...

Assessing the worth of electric products and services in a new competitive marketplace: A review of market research methodologies and analytic tools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cosgrove, S.J.; Spitzer, L. [AUS Consultants, Media, PA (United States)

1994-11-01

As electric utilities move from a heavily regulated environment to less regulated, differently regulated, or competitive environment, the importance of determining the relative value of products and services. We begin by examining the traditional method of assessing importance, rating scales. Then we look at other methodologies, such as multiple paired comparisons, constant sum, regression techniques, and hypothetical choice models. After discussing these methodologies, we demonstrate how they can be applied. We conclude by providing a summary of methods for assessing the worth of electric products and services. For most marketing studies, several criteria or attributes are identified as having an impact on the customer`s evaluation of a product and service. These criteria usually involve several aspects of both the product and service attributes.

An ultrasonic methodology for in-service inspection of shell weld of core support structure in a sodium cooled fast reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Anish, E-mail: anish@igcar.gov.in; Rajkumar, K.V.; Sharma, Govind K.; Dhayalan, R.; Jayakumar, T.

2015-02-15

Highlights: • We demonstrate a novel ultrasonic methodology for in-service inspection of shell weld of core support structure in a sodium cooled fast breeder reactor. • The methodology comprises of the inspection of shell weld immersed in sodium from the outside surface of the main vessel using ultrasonic guided wave. • The formation and propagation of guided wave modes are validated by finite element simulation of the inspection methodology. • A defect down to 20% of 30 mm thick wall (∼6 mm) in the shell weld can be detected reliably using the developed methodology. - Abstract: The paper presents a novel ultrasonic methodology developed for in-service inspection (ISI) of shell weld of core support structure of main vessel of 500 MWe prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR). The methodology comprises of the inspection of shell weld immersed in sodium from the outsider surface of the main vessel using a normal beam longitudinal wave ultrasonic transducer. Because of the presence of curvature in the knuckle region of the main vessel, the normal beam longitudinal wave enters the support shell plate at an angle and forms the guided waves by mode conversion and multiple reflections from the boundaries of the shell plate. Hence, this methodology can be used to detect defects in the shell weld of the core support structure. The successful demonstration of the methodology on a mock-up sector made of stainless steel indicated that an artificial defect down to 20% of 30 mm thick wall (∼6 mm) in the shell weld can be detected reliably.

76 FR 14034 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; NCI Cancer Genetics Services Directory Web-Based...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-15

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Proposed Collection; Comment Request; NCI Cancer Genetics Services Directory Web-Based Application Form and Update Mailer Summary: In... Cancer Genetics Services Directory Web-based Application Form and Update Mailer. [[Page 14035

Personal dosimetry service of TECNATOM: measurement system and methodology of calibration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchena, Paloma; Bravo, Borja

2008-01-01

Full text: The implementation of a new integrated and practical working tool called ALEDIN within the Personal Dosimetry Service (PDS) of TECNATOM, have harmonized the methodology for the counting acquisition, detector calibration and data analysis using a friendly Windows (registered mark) environment. The knowledge of this methodology, due to the fact that is the final product of a R and D project, will help the users and the Regulatory Body for a better understanding of the internal activity measurement in individuals, allowing a more precise error identification and correction, and improving the whole process of the internal dosimetry. The development and implementation of a new calibration system of the whole body counters using NaI (Tl) detectors and the utilization of a new humanoid anthropometric phantom, BOMAB type, with a uniform radioactive source distributions, allow a better energy and activity calibration for different counting geometries covering a wide range of gamma spectra from low energies, less than 100 keV to about 2000 keV for the high energies spectra. This new calibration methodology implied the development of an improved system for the determination of the isotopic activity. This new system has been integrated in a Windows (registered mark) environment, applicable for counting acquisition and data analysis in the whole body counters WBC in cross connection with the INDAC software, which allow the interpretation of the measured activity as committed effective dose following all the new ICRP recommendations and dosimetric models for internal dose and bioassay measurements. (author)

A methodology for the evaluation of the collective dose from radioactivity in terrestrial food chains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simmonds, J.R.; Linsley, G.S.

1980-02-01

A methodology is described for the evaluation of the collective dose from radioactivity in the terrestrial food chains. It involves the use of an agricultural grid for Great Britain from which the geographical distribution of each of the main cereal, vegetable, fruit and animal products around any given point can be evaluated. A description is given of the procedure by which the grid was assembled. The use of the grid is demonstrated in an example in which the collective doses associated with the milk pathway to man following the routine discharge to air of iodine-131 are compared for two coastal sites in markedly different agricultural regions. (author)

Applying TOGAF for e-government implementation based on service oriented architecture methodology towards good government governance

Science.gov (United States)

Hodijah, A.; Sundari, S.; Nugraha, A. C.

2018-05-01

As a Local Government Agencies who perform public services, General Government Office already has utilized Reporting Information System of Local Government Implementation (E-LPPD). However, E-LPPD has upgrade limitation for the integration processes that cannot accommodate General Government Offices’ needs in order to achieve Good Government Governance (GGG), while success stories of the ultimate goal of e-government implementation requires good governance practices. Currently, citizen demand public services as private sector do, which needs service innovation by utilizing the legacy system as a service based e-government implementation, while Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) to redefine a business processes as a set of IT enabled services and Enterprise Architecture from the Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) as a comprehensive approach in redefining business processes as service innovation towards GGG. This paper takes a case study on Performance Evaluation of Local Government Implementation (EKPPD) system on General Government Office. The results show that TOGAF will guide the development of integrated business processes of EKPPD system that fits good governance practices to attain GGG with SOA methodology as technical approach.

Nursing service innovation: A case study examining emergency nurse practitioner service sustainability.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Amanda; Gardner, Glenn; Osborne, Sonya

2018-02-01

This research aimed to explore factors that influence sustainability of health service innovation, specifically emergency nurse practitioner service. Planning for cost effective provision of healthcare services is a concern globally. Reform initiatives are implemented often incorporating expanding scope of practice for health professionals and innovative service delivery models. Introducing new models is costly in both human and financial resources and therefore understanding factors influencing sustainability is imperative to viable service provision. This research used case study methodology (Yin, ). Data were collected during 2014 from emergency nurse practitioners, emergency department multidisciplinary team members and documents related to nurse practitioner services. Collection methods included telephone and semi-structured interviews, survey and document analysis. Pattern matching techniques were used to compare findings with study propositions. In this study, emergency nurse practitioner services did not meet factors that support health service sustainability. Multidisciplinary team members were confident that emergency nurse practitioner services were safe and helped to meet population health needs. Organizational support for integration of nurse practitioner services was marginal and led to poor understanding of service capability and underuse. This research provides evidence informing sustainability of nursing service models but more importantly raises questions about this little explored field. The findings highlight poor organizational support, excessive restrictions and underuse of the service. This is in direct contrast to contemporary expanding practice reform initiatives. Organizational support for integration is imperative to future service sustainability. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

78 FR 42537 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Online Survey of Web Services Employers; New...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-16

...-NEW] Agency Information Collection Activities: Online Survey of Web Services Employers; New... sector. It is necessary that USCIS obtains data on the E-Verify Program Web Services. Gaining an understanding of the Web Services process should enable USCIS to identify programmatic improvements to better...

75 FR 14183 - Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; Agency Information Collection Activities...

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2010-03-24

... information collection under review: COPS' Rural Law Enforcement National Training Assessment. The Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) will be submitting the... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE [OMB Number 1103-NEW] Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; Agency...

77 FR 58141 - Public Buildings Service; Information Collection; Art-in-Architecture Program National Artist...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-19

... Buildings Service; Information Collection; Art-in- Architecture Program National Artist Registry (GSA Form... Information Collection 3090- 0274, Art-in-Architecture Program National Artist Registry (GSA Form 7437), by... corresponds with ``Information Collection 3090-0274, Art-in- Architecture Program National Artist Registry...

Scenario Methodology for Modelling of Future Landscape Developments as Basis for Assessing Ecosystem Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthias Rosenberg

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The ecosystems of our intensively used European landscapes produce a variety of natural goods and services for the benefit of humankind, and secure the basics and quality of life. Because these ecosystems are still undergoing fundamental changes, the interest of the society is to know more about future developments and their ecological impacts. To describe and analyze these changes, scenarios can be developed and an assessment of the ecological changes can be carried out subsequently. In the project „Landscape Saxony 2050“; a methodology for the construction of exploratory scenarios was worked out. The presented methodology provides a possibility to identify the driving forces (socio-cultural, economic and ecological conditions of the landscape development. It allows to indicate possible future paths which lead to a change of structures and processes in the landscape and can influence the capability to provide ecosystem services. One essential component of the applied technique is that an approach for the assessment of the effects of the landscape changes on ecosystem services is integrated into the developed scenario methodology. Another is, that the methodology is strong designed as participatory, i.e. stakeholders are integrated actively. The method is a seven phase model which provides the option for the integration of the stakeholders‘ participation at all levels of scenario development. The scenario framework was applied to the district of Görlitz, an area of 2100 sq km located at the eastern border of Germany. The region is affected by strong demographic as well as economic changes. The core issue focused on the examination of landscape change in terms of biodiversity. Together with stakeholders, a trend scenario and two alternative scenarios were developed. The changes of the landscape structure are represented in story lines, maps and tables. On basis of the driving forces of the issue areas „cultural / social values“ and �

Relational uncertainty in service dyads

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kreye, Melanie

2017-01-01

in service dyads and how they resolve it through suitable organisational responses to increase the level of service quality. Design/methodology/approach: We apply the overall logic of Organisational Information-Processing Theory (OIPT) and present empirical insights from two industrial case studies collected...... the relational uncertainty increased the functional quality while resolving the partner’s organisational uncertainty increased the technical quality of the delivered service. Originality: We make two contributions. First, we introduce relational uncertainty to the OM literature as the inability to predict...... and explain the actions of a partnering organisation due to a lack of knowledge about their abilities and intentions. Second, we present suitable organisational responses to relational uncertainty and their effect on service quality....

75 FR 21716 - Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Airline Service Quality Performance...

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2010-04-26

... RITA 2008-0002] Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Airline Service Quality... Reports'' pursuant to 14 CFR 234.4 and 234.6. These reports are used to monitor the quality of air service.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Approval No. 2138-0041. Title: Airline Service Quality Performance--Part 234...

77 FR 18306 - Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Airline Service Quality Performance

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2012-03-27

... 2008-0002] Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Airline Service Quality...'' pursuant to 14 CFR 234.4 and 234.6. These reports are used to monitor the quality of air service that... INFORMATION: OMB Approval No. 2138-0041. Title: Airline Service Quality Performance Reports--Part 234. Form No...

Social capital, collective efficacy and the provision of services and amenities by municipalities.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waverijn, G.; Groenewegen, P.P.; Klerk, M. de

2017-01-01

Differential provision of local services and amenities has been proposed as a mechanism behind the relationship between social capital and health. The aim of this study was to investigate whether social capital and collective efficacy are related to the provision of social support services and

Cost-effectiveness of alternative changes to a national blood collection service.

Science.gov (United States)

Willis, S; De Corte, K; Cairns, J A; Zia Sadique, M; Hawkins, N; Pennington, M; Cho, G; Roberts, D J; Miflin, G; Grieve, R

2018-05-16

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of changing opening times, introducing a donor health report and reducing the minimum inter-donation interval for donors attending static centres. Evidence is required about the effect of changes to the blood collection service on costs and the frequency of donation. This study estimated the effect of changes to the blood collection service in England on the annual number of whole-blood donations by current donors. We used donors' responses to a stated preference survey, donor registry data on donation frequency and deferral rates from the INTERVAL trial. Costs measured were those anticipated to differ between strategies. We reported the cost per additional unit of blood collected for each strategy versus current practice. Strategies with a cost per additional unit of whole blood less than £30 (an estimate of the current cost of collection) were judged likely to be cost-effective. In static donor centres, extending opening times to evenings and weekends provided an additional unit of whole blood at a cost of £23 and £29, respectively. Introducing a health report cost £130 per additional unit of blood collected. Although the strategy of reducing the minimum inter-donation interval had the lowest cost per additional unit of blood collected (£10), this increased the rate of deferrals due to low haemoglobin (Hb). The introduction of a donor health report is unlikely to provide a sufficient increase in donation frequency to justify the additional costs. A more cost-effective change is to extend opening hours for blood collection at static centres. © 2018 The Authors. Transfusion Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Blood Transfusion Society.

75 FR 80067 - Renewal of Agency Information Collection for Application for Job Placement and Training Services...

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2010-12-21

... Application for Job Placement and Training Services; Request for Comments AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs... Application for Job Placement and Training Services. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB... information collection conducted under 25 CFR part 26 to administer the job placement and training program...

Using participatory and visual arts-based methodologies to promote sustainable teaching and learning ecologies: through the eyes of pre- service teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathabo Khau

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The National Framework for Quality Education in Rural Areas (DoE, 2006 draws attention to education in rural ecologies and scrutinises the role of HEIs in developing teachers who understand the diverse contexts and who are able to facilitate quality teaching and learning in such contexts. Drawing from the project ‘New teachers for new times: Visual methodologies for social change in rural education in the age of AIDS’, this article explores how the use of participatory and visual arts-based methodologies at a rural school can lead to sustainable teaching and learning environments that promote transformative and emancipatory classrooms. We draw on the focus group discussions held at the end of each school day as debriefing sessions with the six Intermediate Phase pre-service teachers 4 reflecting on their experiences of professional development and what was learnt about using ‘new’ methodologies in a rural farm school. We argue that when a cohort of pre-service teachers work together with in-service teachers using emancipatory pedagogies in a rural context, classrooms can get transformed into enabling and democratic spaces conducive for teaching and learning for all.

Unmeasured improvement work: the lack of routinely collected, service-related data in NHS endoscopy units in England involved in "modernisation"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hutchings Hayley A

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The availability of routinely collected service-related endoscopy data from NHS endoscopy units has never been quantified. Methods This retrospective observational study asked 19 endoscopy units to submit copies of all in-house, service-related endoscopy data that had been routinely collected by the unit – Referral numbers, Activity, Number of patients waiting and Number of lost slots. Nine of the endoscopy units had previously participated in the Modernising Endoscopy Services (MES project during 2003 to redesign their endoscopy services. These MES sites had access to additional funding and data collection software. The other ten (Control sites had modernised independently. All data was requested in two phases and corresponded to eight specific time points between January 2003 and April 2006. Results Only eight of 19 endoscopy units submitted routinely collected, service-related data. Another site's data was collected specifically for the study. A further two units claimed to routinely collect service-related data but did not submit any to the study. The remaining eight did not collect any service-related endoscopy data routinely and liaised with their Trust for data. Of the eight sites submitting service-related data, only three were MES project sites. Of these three, the data variables collected were limited and none collected the complete set of endoscopy data variables requested. Of the other five sites, two collected all four endoscopy data types. Data for the three MES project sites went back as far as January 2003, whilst the five Control sites were only able to submit data from December 2003 onwards. Conclusion There was a lack of service-related endoscopy data routinely collected by the study sites, especially those who had participated in the MES project. Without this data, NHS endoscopy services cannot have a true understanding of their services, cannot identify problems and cannot measure the impact of any

76 FR 77590 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Request for Payment of Federal...

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2011-12-13

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Request for Payment of Federal Benefit by Check, EFT Waiver Form AGENCY: Financial Management... to Financial Management Service, 3700 East West Highway, Records and Information Management Branch...

77 FR 65927 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Office of Language Services Contractor...

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2012-10-31

... of Language Services Contractor Application Form ACTION: Notice of request for public comment... Collection: Office of Language Services Contractor Application Form. OMB Control Number: 1405-0191. Type of... become contractors for the U.S. Department of State, Office of Language Services, the information...

78 FR 70584 - ATOS IT Solutions & Services, Inc., Billing and Collections Department, Including Workers Whose...

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2013-11-26

...) Wages are Reported Through Siemens IT Solutions and Services, Mason, Ohio; Amended Certification... Solutions & Services, Inc., Billing and Collections Department, Mason, Ohio. The workers are engaged in... workers separated from employment at the Mason, Ohio location of ATOS IT Solutions & Services, Inc...

77 FR 52748 - 60-Day Proposed Information Collection: Indian Health Service (IHS) Sharing What Works-Best...

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2012-08-30

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Indian Health Service 60-Day Proposed Information Collection: Indian Health Service (IHS) Sharing What Works--Best Practice, Promising Practice, and Local Effort (BPPPLE) Form; Request For Public Comment AGENCY: Indian Health Service, HHS. ACTION: Notice...

77 FR 33808 - Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review: Airline Service Quality Performance...

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2012-06-07

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Research & Innovative Technology Administration [Docket ID Number RITA 2008-0002] Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review: Airline Service Quality.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Approval No. 2138-0041 Title: Airline Service Quality Performance -Part 234. Form...

75 FR 41920 - Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Airline Service Quality Performance...

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2010-07-19

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Research & Innovative Technology Administration [Docket ID Number RITA 2008-0002] Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Airline Service Quality...: Airline Service Quality Performance--Part 234. Form No.: BTS Form 234. Type Of Review: Re-instatement of...

[Qualitative research methodology in health care].

Science.gov (United States)

Bedregal, Paula; Besoain, Carolina; Reinoso, Alejandro; Zubarew, Tamara

2017-03-01

Health care research requires different methodological approaches such as qualitative and quantitative analyzes to understand the phenomena under study. Qualitative research is usually the least considered. Central elements of the qualitative method are that the object of study is constituted by perceptions, emotions and beliefs, non-random sampling by purpose, circular process of knowledge construction, and methodological rigor throughout the research process, from quality design to the consistency of results. The objective of this work is to contribute to the methodological knowledge about qualitative research in health services, based on the implementation of the study, “The transition process from pediatric to adult services: perspectives from adolescents with chronic diseases, caregivers and health professionals”. The information gathered through the qualitative methodology facilitated the understanding of critical points, barriers and facilitators of the transition process of adolescents with chronic diseases, considering the perspective of users and the health team. This study allowed the design of a transition services model from pediatric to adult health services based on the needs of adolescents with chronic diseases, their caregivers and the health team.

Scheme of energy collective services; Schema de services collectifs de l'energie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

The scheme of collective energy services aims at facilitating and valorizing the contribution of the national organizations to the national energy plan and to the durable development of the country. The scheme comprises three main goals: defining the exploitation goals of local renewable energy resources and the goals of rational energy uses which can contribute to the national energy independence, to the security of supplies and to the abatement of the greenhouse effect; evaluating the foreseeable energy needs of regions and their energy production potentiality, their energy saving possibilities and their energy transportation needs; and finally, determining the conditions in which the government and the national organizations will be able to favor the energy saving actions and the production and use of renewable energies taking into account their impact on employment and their long-term financial consequences. This document is organized in five parts: 1 - status, stakes and perspectives: energy demand perspectives at the 2010-2020 vista, potentialities of energy saving and renewable energy sources development, implication of the international commitment of France in the fight against greenhouse effect; 2 - action means for new measures: buildings and accommodations, transportation sector, industry sector, mastery of electricity demand, development of renewable energy sources, decentralized energy production, energy storage, transport and distribution, economic tools and public means of sustain; 3 - follow up of the scheme of energy collective services; 4 - analysis of regional contributions; 5 - appendixes and maps. (J.S.)

Safeguarding Ecosystem Services: A Methodological Framework to Buffer the Joint Effect of Habitat Configuration and Climate Change.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tereza C Giannini

Full Text Available Ecosystem services provided by mobile agents are increasingly threatened by the loss and modification of natural habitats and by climate change, risking the maintenance of biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and human welfare. Research oriented towards a better understanding of the joint effects of land use and climate change over the provision of specific ecosystem services is therefore essential to safeguard such services. Here we propose a methodological framework, which integrates species distribution forecasts and graph theory to identify key conservation areas, which if protected or restored could improve habitat connectivity and safeguard ecosystem services. We applied the proposed framework to the provision of pollination services by a tropical stingless bee (Melipona quadrifasciata, a key pollinator of native flora from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and important agricultural crops. Based on the current distribution of this bee and that of the plant species used to feed and nest, we projected the joint distribution of bees and plants in the future, considering a moderate climate change scenario (following IPPC. We then used this information, the bee's flight range, and the current mapping of Atlantic Forest remnants to infer habitat suitability and quantify local and regional habitat connectivity for 2030, 2050 and 2080. Our results revealed north to south and coastal to inland shifts in the pollinator distribution during the next 70 years. Current and future connectivity maps unraveled the most important corridors, which if protected or restored, could facilitate the dispersal and establishment of bees during distribution shifts. Our results also suggest that coffee plantations from eastern São Paulo and southern Minas Gerais States could suffer a pollinator deficit in the future, whereas pollination services seem to be secured in southern Brazil. Landowners and governmental agencies could use this information to implement new land use

Safeguarding Ecosystem Services: A Methodological Framework to Buffer the Joint Effect of Habitat Configuration and Climate Change

Science.gov (United States)

Giannini, Tereza C.; Tambosi, Leandro R.; Acosta, André L.; Jaffé, Rodolfo; Saraiva, Antonio M.; Imperatriz-Fonseca, Vera L.; Metzger, Jean Paul

2015-01-01

Ecosystem services provided by mobile agents are increasingly threatened by the loss and modification of natural habitats and by climate change, risking the maintenance of biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and human welfare. Research oriented towards a better understanding of the joint effects of land use and climate change over the provision of specific ecosystem services is therefore essential to safeguard such services. Here we propose a methodological framework, which integrates species distribution forecasts and graph theory to identify key conservation areas, which if protected or restored could improve habitat connectivity and safeguard ecosystem services. We applied the proposed framework to the provision of pollination services by a tropical stingless bee (Melipona quadrifasciata), a key pollinator of native flora from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and important agricultural crops. Based on the current distribution of this bee and that of the plant species used to feed and nest, we projected the joint distribution of bees and plants in the future, considering a moderate climate change scenario (following IPPC). We then used this information, the bee’s flight range, and the current mapping of Atlantic Forest remnants to infer habitat suitability and quantify local and regional habitat connectivity for 2030, 2050 and 2080. Our results revealed north to south and coastal to inland shifts in the pollinator distribution during the next 70 years. Current and future connectivity maps unraveled the most important corridors, which if protected or restored, could facilitate the dispersal and establishment of bees during distribution shifts. Our results also suggest that coffee plantations from eastern São Paulo and southern Minas Gerais States could suffer a pollinator deficit in the future, whereas pollination services seem to be secured in southern Brazil. Landowners and governmental agencies could use this information to implement new land use schemes

Safeguarding Ecosystem Services: A Methodological Framework to Buffer the Joint Effect of Habitat Configuration and Climate Change.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannini, Tereza C; Tambosi, Leandro R; Acosta, André L; Jaffé, Rodolfo; Saraiva, Antonio M; Imperatriz-Fonseca, Vera L; Metzger, Jean Paul

2015-01-01

Ecosystem services provided by mobile agents are increasingly threatened by the loss and modification of natural habitats and by climate change, risking the maintenance of biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and human welfare. Research oriented towards a better understanding of the joint effects of land use and climate change over the provision of specific ecosystem services is therefore essential to safeguard such services. Here we propose a methodological framework, which integrates species distribution forecasts and graph theory to identify key conservation areas, which if protected or restored could improve habitat connectivity and safeguard ecosystem services. We applied the proposed framework to the provision of pollination services by a tropical stingless bee (Melipona quadrifasciata), a key pollinator of native flora from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and important agricultural crops. Based on the current distribution of this bee and that of the plant species used to feed and nest, we projected the joint distribution of bees and plants in the future, considering a moderate climate change scenario (following IPPC). We then used this information, the bee's flight range, and the current mapping of Atlantic Forest remnants to infer habitat suitability and quantify local and regional habitat connectivity for 2030, 2050 and 2080. Our results revealed north to south and coastal to inland shifts in the pollinator distribution during the next 70 years. Current and future connectivity maps unraveled the most important corridors, which if protected or restored, could facilitate the dispersal and establishment of bees during distribution shifts. Our results also suggest that coffee plantations from eastern São Paulo and southern Minas Gerais States could suffer a pollinator deficit in the future, whereas pollination services seem to be secured in southern Brazil. Landowners and governmental agencies could use this information to implement new land use schemes. Overall

Methodological Reflections on the Contribution of Qualitative Research to the Evaluation of Clinical Ethics Support Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Wäscher, Sebastian; Salloch, Sabine; Ritter, Peter; Vollmann, Jochen; Schildmann, Jan

2017-05-01

This article describes a process of developing, implementing and evaluating a clinical ethics support service intervention with the goal of building up a context-sensitive structure of minimal clinical-ethics in an oncology department without prior clinical ethics structure. Scholars from different disciplines have called for an improvement in the evaluation of clinical ethics support services (CESS) for different reasons over several decades. However, while a lot has been said about the concepts and methodological challenges of evaluating CESS up to the present time, relatively few empirical studies have been carried out. The aim of this article is twofold. On the one hand, it describes a process of development, modifying and evaluating a CESS intervention as part of the ETHICO research project, using the approach of qualitative-formative evaluation. On the other hand, it provides a methodological analysis which specifies the contribution of qualitative empirical methods to the (formative) evaluation of CESS. We conclude with a consideration of the strengths and limitations of qualitative evaluation research with regards to the evaluation and development of context sensitive CESS. We further discuss our own approach in contrast to rather traditional consult or committee models. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Heavy physical work under time pressure: the garbage collection service--a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Camada, Ilza Mitsuko de Oliveira; Pataro, Silvana Maria Santos; Fernandes, Rita de Cássia Pereira

2012-01-01

The increased generation of garbage has become a problem in large cities, with greater demand for collection services. The collector is subjected to high workload. This study describes the work in garbage collection service, highlighting the requirements of time, resulting in physical and psychosocial demands to collectors. Ergonomic Work Analysis (EWA) - a method focused on the study of work in real situations was used. Initially, technical visits, global observations and unstructured interviews with different subjects of a garbage collection company were conducted. The following step of the systematic observations was accompanied by interviews conducted during the execution of tasks, inquiring about the actions taken, and also interviews about the actions, but conducted after the development of the tasks, photographic records and audiovisual recordings, of workers from two garbage collection teams. Contradictions between the prescribed work and activities (actual work) were identified, as well as the variability present in this process, and strategies adopted by these workers to regulate the workload. It was concluded that the insufficiency of means and the organizational structure of management ensue a situation where the collection process is maintained at the expense of hyper-requesting these workers, both physically and psychosocially.

A service brokering and recommendation mechanism for better selecting cloud services.

Science.gov (United States)

Gui, Zhipeng; Yang, Chaowei; Xia, Jizhe; Huang, Qunying; Liu, Kai; Li, Zhenlong; Yu, Manzhu; Sun, Min; Zhou, Nanyin; Jin, Baoxuan

2014-01-01

Cloud computing is becoming the new generation computing infrastructure, and many cloud vendors provide different types of cloud services. How to choose the best cloud services for specific applications is very challenging. Addressing this challenge requires balancing multiple factors, such as business demands, technologies, policies and preferences in addition to the computing requirements. This paper recommends a mechanism for selecting the best public cloud service at the levels of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). A systematic framework and associated workflow include cloud service filtration, solution generation, evaluation, and selection of public cloud services. Specifically, we propose the following: a hierarchical information model for integrating heterogeneous cloud information from different providers and a corresponding cloud information collecting mechanism; a cloud service classification model for categorizing and filtering cloud services and an application requirement schema for providing rules for creating application-specific configuration solutions; and a preference-aware solution evaluation mode for evaluating and recommending solutions according to the preferences of application providers. To test the proposed framework and methodologies, a cloud service advisory tool prototype was developed after which relevant experiments were conducted. The results show that the proposed system collects/updates/records the cloud information from multiple mainstream public cloud services in real-time, generates feasible cloud configuration solutions according to user specifications and acceptable cost predication, assesses solutions from multiple aspects (e.g., computing capability, potential cost and Service Level Agreement, SLA) and offers rational recommendations based on user preferences and practical cloud provisioning; and visually presents and compares solutions through an interactive web Graphical User Interface (GUI).

A Service Brokering and Recommendation Mechanism for Better Selecting Cloud Services

Science.gov (United States)

Gui, Zhipeng; Yang, Chaowei; Xia, Jizhe; Huang, Qunying; Liu, Kai; Li, Zhenlong; Yu, Manzhu; Sun, Min; Zhou, Nanyin; Jin, Baoxuan

2014-01-01

Cloud computing is becoming the new generation computing infrastructure, and many cloud vendors provide different types of cloud services. How to choose the best cloud services for specific applications is very challenging. Addressing this challenge requires balancing multiple factors, such as business demands, technologies, policies and preferences in addition to the computing requirements. This paper recommends a mechanism for selecting the best public cloud service at the levels of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). A systematic framework and associated workflow include cloud service filtration, solution generation, evaluation, and selection of public cloud services. Specifically, we propose the following: a hierarchical information model for integrating heterogeneous cloud information from different providers and a corresponding cloud information collecting mechanism; a cloud service classification model for categorizing and filtering cloud services and an application requirement schema for providing rules for creating application-specific configuration solutions; and a preference-aware solution evaluation mode for evaluating and recommending solutions according to the preferences of application providers. To test the proposed framework and methodologies, a cloud service advisory tool prototype was developed after which relevant experiments were conducted. The results show that the proposed system collects/updates/records the cloud information from multiple mainstream public cloud services in real-time, generates feasible cloud configuration solutions according to user specifications and acceptable cost predication, assesses solutions from multiple aspects (e.g., computing capability, potential cost and Service Level Agreement, SLA) and offers rational recommendations based on user preferences and practical cloud provisioning; and visually presents and compares solutions through an interactive web Graphical User Interface (GUI

Social capital, collective efficacy and the provision of social support services and amenities by municipalities in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Waverijn, Geeke; Groenewegen, Peter P; de Klerk, Mirjam

2017-03-01

Differential provision of local services and amenities has been proposed as a mechanism behind the relationship between social capital and health. The aim of this study was to investigate whether social capital and collective efficacy are related to the provision of social support services and amenities in Dutch municipalities, against a background of decentralisation of long-term care to municipalities. We used data on neighbourhood social capital, collective efficacy (the extent to which people are willing to work for the common good), and the provision of services and amenities in 2012. We included the services municipalities provide to support informal caregivers (e.g. respite care), individual services and support (e.g. domiciliary help), and general and collective services and amenities (e.g. lending point for wheelchairs). Data for social capital were collected between May 2011 and September 2012. Social capital was measured by focusing on contacts between neighbours. A social capital measure was estimated for 414 municipalities with ecometric measurements. A measure of collective efficacy was constructed based on information about the experienced responsibility for the liveability of the neighbourhood by residents in 2012, average charity collection returns in municipalities in 2012, voter turnout at the municipal elections in 2010 and the percentage of blood donors in 2012. We conducted Poisson regression and negative binomial regression to test our hypotheses. We found no relationship between social capital and the provision of services and amenities in municipalities. We found an interaction effect (coefficient = 3.11, 95% CI = 0.72-5.51, P = 0.011) of social capital and collective efficacy on the provision of support services for informal caregivers in rural municipalities. To gain more insight in the relationship between social capital and health, it will be important to study the relationship between social capital and differential provision of

76 FR 25782 - Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: List of Data (A) and List of...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-05

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Fiscal Service Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: List of Data (A) and List of Data (B) AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice and Request for comments. SUMMARY: The Financial Management Service, as part of...

Handbook of research on P2P and grid systems for service-oriented computing : models, methodologies, and applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Antonopoulos, N.; Exarchakos, G.; Li, Maozhen; Liotta, A.

2010-01-01

Introduction: Service-oriented computing is a popular design methodology for large scale business computing systems. A significant number of companies aim to reap the benefit of cost reduction by realizing B2B and B2C processes on large-scale SOA-compliant software system platforms. Peer-to-Peer

76 FR 50993 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-17

... interviews, respondent debriefing, pilot surveys) to quickly test and implement new questions for research...: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Generic Clearance to Conduct Methodological Testing, Surveys, Focus... proposed information collection. This information collection will conduct research by methodological...

Complex service recovery processes: how to avoid triple deviation

OpenAIRE

Edvardsson, Bo; Tronvoll, Bård; Höykinpuro, Ritva

2011-01-01

Purpose – This article seeks to develop a new framework to outline factors that influence the resolution of unfavourable service experiences as a result of double deviation. The focus is on understanding and managing complex service recovery processes. Design/methodology/approach – An inductive, explorative and narrative approach was selected. Data were collected in the form of narratives from the field through interviews with actors at various levels in organisations as well as with custo...

Barriers to innovation in service SMEs: Evidence from Mexico

OpenAIRE

Maldonado Guzman, G.; Garza-Reyes, J. A.; Pinzón-Castro, S. Y.; Kumar, V.

2017-01-01

Purpose – Specific research related to the study of innovation barriers in service SMEs in the Latin American region is limited. This study thus investigates the effects that external environmental, financial and human barriers have on innovation activities, particularly, within the context of Mexican service SMEs.\\ud \\ud Design/methodology/approach – Three hypotheses were formulated and tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). Data were collected through an instrument that was devel...

Developing a robust methodology for assessing the value of weather/climate services

Science.gov (United States)

Krijnen, Justin; Golding, Nicola; Buontempo, Carlo

2016-04-01

Increasingly, scientists involved in providing weather and climate services are expected to demonstrate the value of their work for end users in order to justify the costs of developing and delivering these services. This talk will outline different approaches that can be used to assess the socio-economic benefits of weather and climate services, including, among others, willingness to pay and avoided costs. The advantages and limitations of these methods will be discussed and relevant case-studies will be used to illustrate each approach. The choice of valuation method may be influenced by different factors, such as resource and time constraints and the end purposes of the study. In addition, there are important methodological differences which will affect the value assessed. For instance the ultimate value of a weather/climate forecast to a decision-maker will not only depend on forecast accuracy but also on other factors, such as how the forecast is communicated to and consequently interpreted by the end-user. Thus, excluding these additional factors may result in inaccurate socio-economic value estimates. In order to reduce the inaccuracies in this valuation process we propose an approach that assesses how the initial weather/climate forecast information can be incorporated within the value chain of a given sector, taking into account value gains and losses at each stage of the delivery process. By this we aim to more accurately depict the socio-economic benefits of a weather/climate forecast to decision-makers.

Exploring the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction in Croatian hotel industry

OpenAIRE

Suzana Marković; Sanja Raspor Janković

2013-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction. The main objective was to discuss the impact of perceived service quality dimensions on customer satisfaction in the hotel industry in Croatia. Methodology – The data were collected using self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three parts. First, perceived service quality was measured using modified SERVQUAL model. Second, customer satisfact...

77 FR 20355 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Award Amendment Requests and Project Service Maps

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-04

... collection). Affected Public: Current recipients of EDA assistance, to include (1) cities or other political... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economic Development Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Award Amendment Requests and Project Service Maps AGENCY: Economic Development...

Gap analysis methodology for business service engineering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nguyen, D.K.; van den Heuvel, W.J.A.M.; Papazoglou, M.; de Castro, V.; Marcos, E.; Hofreiter, B.; Werthner, H.

2009-01-01

Many of today’s service analysis and design techniques rely on ad-hoc and experience-based identification of value-creating business services and implicitly assume a “green-field” situation focusing on the development of completely new services while offering very limited support for discovering

The implementation methodology of Total Quality Management in health services, as a best practice operation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theodora Malamou

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Total Quality Management – TQM (Total Quality Management-TQM, health services, is a modern management philosophy to improve the quality and efficiency of the organization as a whole, with the involvement of all employees, at all levels. According to the research data, the concept of quality is distinguished in technical, interpersonal quality and hotel infrastructure and focuses on patient satisfaction. The Critical success factors of TQM, organizations for business excellence in continuous competitive changing environment, is the management commitment, customer focus, constant communication with employees, encouragement and reward, education and scientific training, continuous improvement quality of service, interdependent relationships with suppliers, active employee participation, creation of representative indicators, targets and benchmarking, continuous outcome assessment and continuous review, review of program procedures. The purpose of this article is through the review of Greek and international literature, to introduce the methodology of a project TQM, to health services, as everyday best practice, with emphasis on quality of service. According to the literature review, TQM contributes to improving the quality of health services, the cultivation of team spirit, cooperation between health professionals and leadership, with a view to satisfy all. TQM is purely anthropocentric theory of organization and administration. We need comprehensive effort approach to improving the quality of leadership and the introduction of the culture of workers.

78 FR 13394 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Office of Language Services Contractor...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-27

... of Language Services Contractor Application Form ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and...: Title of Information Collection: Office of Language Services Contractor Application Form. OMB Control... States. If candidates successfully become contractors for the U.S. Department of State, Office of...

Implementation and evaluation of a pharmacist-led hypertension management service in primary care: outcomes and methodological challenges

OpenAIRE

Bajorek, Beata; Lemay, Kate S.; Magin, Parker; Roberts, Christopher; Krass, Ines; Armour, Carol L.

2016-01-01

Background: Suboptimal utilisation of pharmacotherapy, non-adherence to prescribed treatment, and a lack of monitoring all contribute to poor blood (BP) pressure control in patients with hypertension. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a pharmacist-led hypertension management service in terms of processes, outcomes, and methodological challenges. Method: A prospective, controlled study was undertaken within the Australian primary care setting. C...

Forecasting in Intelligence: Indications and Warning Methodology in Modern Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Gennadievna Vlasova

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Today the national security system effectiveness seriously depends on the professional analysis of information and timely forecasts. Thus the efficient methods of forecasting in the sphere of international relations are of current importance for the modern intelligence services. The Indications and Warning Technique that was a key element of forecasting methodology in intelligence until the end of Cold War is estimated in the present article. Is this method still relevant in the contemporary world with its new international order, new security challenges and technological revolution in the data collection and processing? The main conclusion based on the overview of current researches and known intelligence practice is that indicators technique is still relevant for the early warning of national security threats but requires some adaptation to today’s issues. The most important trends in adaptation are supposed to be a creation of broadest possible spectrum of threatens scenarios as well as research of current strategic threatens and corresponding indicators. Also the appropriate software that automates the use of indications technique by the security services is very important. The author believes that the cooperation between intelligence services and academic community can increase the efficiency of the Indications Methodology and of the strategic forecasting as well.

Small punch creep test: A promising methodology for high temperature plant components life evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tettamanti, S [CISE SpA, Milan (Italy); Crudeli, R [ENEL SpA, Milan (Italy)

1999-12-31

CISE and ENEL are involved for years in a miniaturization creep methodology project to obtain similar non-destructive test with the same standard creep test reliability. The goal can be reached with `Small punch creep test` that collect all the requested characteristics; quasi nondestructive disk specimens extracted both on external or internal side of components, than accurately machined and tested on little and cheap apparatus. CISE has developed complete creep small punch procedure that involved peculiar test facility and correlation`s law comparable with the more diffused isostress methodology for residual life evaluation on ex-serviced high temperature plant components. The aim of this work is to obtain a simple and immediately applicable relationship useful for plant maintenance managing. More added work is need to validate the Small Punch methodology and for relationship calibration on most diffusion high temperature structural materials. First obtained results on a comparative work on ASTM A355 P12 ex-serviced pipe material are presented joint with a description of the Small Punch apparatus realized in CISE. (orig.) 6 refs.

Small punch creep test: A promising methodology for high temperature plant components life evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tettamanti, S. [CISE SpA, Milan (Italy); Crudeli, R. [ENEL SpA, Milan (Italy)

1998-12-31

CISE and ENEL are involved for years in a miniaturization creep methodology project to obtain similar non-destructive test with the same standard creep test reliability. The goal can be reached with `Small punch creep test` that collect all the requested characteristics; quasi nondestructive disk specimens extracted both on external or internal side of components, than accurately machined and tested on little and cheap apparatus. CISE has developed complete creep small punch procedure that involved peculiar test facility and correlation`s law comparable with the more diffused isostress methodology for residual life evaluation on ex-serviced high temperature plant components. The aim of this work is to obtain a simple and immediately applicable relationship useful for plant maintenance managing. More added work is need to validate the Small Punch methodology and for relationship calibration on most diffusion high temperature structural materials. First obtained results on a comparative work on ASTM A355 P12 ex-serviced pipe material are presented joint with a description of the Small Punch apparatus realized in CISE. (orig.) 6 refs.

Exploring technology acceptance for mobile services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenny Phan

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Mobile phone industries are no longer relying on voice services. It is predicted that data services are expected to be a remediation for the declining of average revenue per user (ARPU in telecommunication market. The purpose of this paper is to find the factors that influence the acceptance/adoption of mobile services.Design/methodology/approach: This paper utilizes quantitative method. Questionnaire were distributed to collect the data. The questionnaires are designed specifically to address the factors related to mobile services. Later on, this paper uses Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP and Cluster analysis to identify the factors that influence the adoption of mobile services.Findings: The results show that ease of use and usefulness are top two factors that influence the adoption of mobile services.Research limitations/implications: The sample for the study is relatively small. For future research, the sample should be increased. The data collection should also look into different devices and operating system of mobile phones to find if there is any significant difference in adopting mobile services.Practical implications: This framework is expected to be able to help the mobile services provider to design better mobile services that can attract users to adopt them. Originality/value: This is the follow on research on the previous study that employed different method. This study is to confirm and support the findings from previous study.

Consumer Attitude Towards Service Failure and Recovery in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Chahal, Hardeep; Devi, Pinkey

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore consumer attitude towards service failure and recovery in the higher education in general and with respect to teaching, examination, library, computer lab, administration and infrastructure in particular. Design/Methodology/Approach: The data are collected from 120 students of three undergraduate colleges of…

Utilization of antenatal care services among teenagers in Ethiopia: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Teenaged women suffer from a disproportionate share of reproductive health problem. The purpose of this study was to estimate the utilization of antenatal care (ANC) services among teenagers (13-19 years) during delivery in Ethiopia. Methodology: Raw data collected from all part of the country on child ...

Introduction to the Special Collection of Papers on the San Luis Basin Sustainability Metrics Project: A Methodology for Evaluating Regional Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

This paper introduces a collection of four articles describing the San Luis Basin Sustainability Metrics Project. The Project developed a methodology for evaluating regional sustainability. This introduction provides the necessary background information for the project, descripti...

A multidimensional approach to case mix for home health services

Science.gov (United States)

Manton, Kenneth G.; Hausner, Tony

1987-01-01

Developing a case-mix methodology for home health services is more difficult than developing one for hospitalization and acute health services, because the determinants of need for home health care are more complex and because of the difficulty in defining episodes of care. To evaluate home health service case mix, a multivariate grouping methodology was applied to records from the 1982 National Long-Term Care Survey linked to Medicare records on home health reimbursements. Using this method, six distinct health and functional status dimensions were identified. These dimensions, combined with factors describing informal care resources and local market conditions, were used to explain significant proportions of the variance (r2 = .45) of individual differences in Medicare home health reimbursements and numbers of visits. Though the data were not collected for that purpose, the high level of prediction strongly suggests the feasibility of developing case-mix strategies for home health services. PMID:10312187

Evaluation of spaced education as a learning methodology for in-service training of health workers in Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Tulenko

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Participation in in-service training can be a challenge for health workers, especially those stationed in remote areas. Spaced education is an innovative learning methodology that can be delivered electronically by Internet or mobile smartphone. This pilot study, which followed a convenience sample of 37 Ethiopian nationals enrolled in a spaced education course over a six-month period, attempted to determine the acceptability and effectiveness of the methodology in a low-resource context. The course content was co-developed by Ethiopian and international nutrition experts and focused on the recently revised Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH guidelines on the feeding of infants of HIV-positive mothers. Conducted by the US Agency for International Development (USAID-funded CapacityPlus project, led by IntraHealth International, the study suggests that the Internet-based spaced education methodology is acceptable and effective for the acquisition of knowledge in a low-resource context for course participants with a clinical or public health background and moderately reliable Internet access. More research is needed to test the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the methodology among a wider population of health workers in developing countries, and particularly among government and volunteer health workers in rural and remote settings.

User Acceptance of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) Services: An Application of Extended Technology Acceptance Model

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Eunil; Kim, Ki Joon

2013-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to propose an integrated path model in order to explore user acceptance of long-term evolution (LTE) services by examining potential causal relationships between key psychological factors and user intention to use the services. Design/methodology/approach: Online survey data collected from 1,344 users are analysed…

Compound Passport Service: supporting corporate collection owners in open innovation.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, David M; Degorce, Sébastien L; Drake, David J; Gustafsson, Magnus; Higgins, Kevin M; Winter, Jon J

2015-10-01

A growing number of early discovery collaborative agreements are being put in place between large pharma companies and partners in which the rights for assets can reside with a partner, exclusively or jointly. Our corporate screening collection, like many others, was built on the premise that compounds generated in-house and not the subject of paper or patent disclosure were proprietary to the company. Collaborative screening arrangements and medicinal chemistry now make the origin, ownership rights and usage of compounds difficult to determine and manage. The Compound Passport Service is a dynamic database, managed and accessed through a set of reusable services that borrows from social media concepts to allow sample owners to take control of their samples in a much more active way. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Establishing the need for nutrition education: I. Methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaden, A G; Newell, G K; Dayton, A D; Foley, C S

1983-10-01

Developmental and data collection phases for a comprehensive needs assessment project designed to provide baseline data for planning a statewide nutrition education and training project are summarized. To meet project objectives, 97 Kansas elementary schools were selected randomly as sampling units. A mail questionnaire was used to assess nutrition knowledge and attitudes and dietary and nutrition education practices of elementary teachers and food service personnel. Data from fifth grade students were collected on-site at each school. A written test was used to measure students' nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Students' nutritional status was partially assessed by measuring their height, weight, skinfold thickness, and upper arm circumference. As an additional assessment, 24-hour dietary recall interviews were conducted with a random sample of the students. In this article, each aspect of the data collection methodology is described in detail. As emphasized by authorities in the field, more complete information is needed in many nutrition survey reports to assist in useful interpretations and for comparisons among studies.

76 FR 39128 - Comment Request for Information Collection for the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-05

... individuals that receive services and find employment through these grants. The accuracy, reliability, and... of a standard set of data elements, definitions, and specifications at all levels of the workforce... proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; Enhance...

Multimodal hybrid reasoning methodology for personalized wellbeing services.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Rahman; Afzal, Muhammad; Hussain, Maqbool; Ali, Maqbool; Siddiqi, Muhammad Hameed; Lee, Sungyoung; Ho Kang, Byeong

2016-02-01

A wellness system provides wellbeing recommendations to support experts in promoting a healthier lifestyle and inducing individuals to adopt healthy habits. Adopting physical activity effectively promotes a healthier lifestyle. A physical activity recommendation system assists users to adopt daily routines to form a best practice of life by involving themselves in healthy physical activities. Traditional physical activity recommendation systems focus on general recommendations applicable to a community of users rather than specific individuals. These recommendations are general in nature and are fit for the community at a certain level, but they are not relevant to every individual based on specific requirements and personal interests. To cover this aspect, we propose a multimodal hybrid reasoning methodology (HRM) that generates personalized physical activity recommendations according to the user׳s specific needs and personal interests. The methodology integrates the rule-based reasoning (RBR), case-based reasoning (CBR), and preference-based reasoning (PBR) approaches in a linear combination that enables personalization of recommendations. RBR uses explicit knowledge rules from physical activity guidelines, CBR uses implicit knowledge from experts׳ past experiences, and PBR uses users׳ personal interests and preferences. To validate the methodology, a weight management scenario is considered and experimented with. The RBR part of the methodology generates goal, weight status, and plan recommendations, the CBR part suggests the top three relevant physical activities for executing the recommended plan, and the PBR part filters out irrelevant recommendations from the suggested ones using the user׳s personal preferences and interests. To evaluate the methodology, a baseline-RBR system is developed, which is improved first using ranged rules and ultimately using a hybrid-CBR. A comparison of the results of these systems shows that hybrid-CBR outperforms the

New mission requirements methodologies for services provided by the Office of Space Communications

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Dwight P.; Hall, J. R.; Macoughtry, William; Spearing, Robert

1993-01-01

The Office of Space Communications, NASA Headquarters, has recently revised its methodology for receiving, accepting and responding to customer requests for use of that office's tracking and communications capabilities. This revision is the result of a process which has become over-burdened by the size of the currently active and proposed missions set, requirements reviews that focus on single missions rather than on mission sets, and negotiations most often not completed early enough to effect needed additions to capacity or capability prior to launch. The requirements-coverage methodology described is more responsive to project/program needs and provides integrated input into the NASA budget process early enough to effect change, and describes the mechanisms and tools in place to insure a value-added process which will benefit both NASA and its customers. Key features of the requirements methodology include the establishment of a mechanism for early identification of and systems trades with new customers, and delegates the review and approval of requirements documents to NASA centers in lieu of Headquarters, thus empowering the system design teams to establish and negotiate the detailed requirements with the user. A Mission Requirements Request (MRR) is introduced to facilitate early customer interaction. The expected result is that the time to achieve an approved set of implementation requirements which meet the customer's needs can be greatly reduced. Finally, by increasing the discipline in requirements management, through the use of base lining procedures, a tighter coupling between customer requirements and the budget is provided. A twice-yearly projection of customer requirements accommodation, designated as the Capacity Projection Plan (CPP), provides customer feedback allowing the entire mission set to be serviced.

Public Services and Outreach in Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Traister, Daniel

2003-01-01

Discusses the new emphasis in special collections, especially in academic libraries, on the promotion of materials. Highlights include the economic basis of promotion; exhibitions; classroom ventures; the Web; seminars and other discussion groups; creative writing courses; one-time events; friends, tourists, and the public; and reference services.…

A methodology for the preliminary scoping of future changes in ecosystem services, with an illustration from the future midwestern landscapes study

Science.gov (United States)

The product is a white paper defining a methodology for the preliminary scoping of future changes in ecosystem services, with an Illustration from the Future Midwestern Landscapes Study. The scoping method develops a hierarchy of relevant societal values, identifies the ecosyste...

Agricultural Extension, Collective Action and Innovation Systems: Lessons on Network Brokering from Peru and Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Hellin, Jon

2012-01-01

Purpose: New approaches to extension service delivery are needed that stimulate increased agricultural production, contribute to collective action and which also foster the emergence of agricultural innovation systems. Research in Peru and Mexico explores some of these new approaches. Design/methodology/approach: In both countries, a qualitative…

Enabling Mobile Communications for the Needy: Affordability Methodology, and Approaches to Requalify Universal Service Measures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louis-Francois PAU

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper links communications and media usage to social and household economics boundaries. It highlights that in present day society, communications and media are a necessity, but not always affordable, and that they furthermore open up for addictive behaviors which raise additional financial and social risks. A simple and efficient methodology compatible with state-of-the-art social and communications business statistics is developed, which produces the residual communications and media affordability budget and ultimately the value-at-risk in terms of usage and tariffs. Sensitivity analysis provides precious information on bottom-up communications and media adoption on the basis of affordability. This approach differs from the regulated but often ineffective Universal service obligation, which instead of catering for individual needs mostly addresses macro-measures helping geographical access coverage (e.g. in rural areas. It is proposed to requalify the Universal service obligations on operators into concrete measures, allowing, with unchanged funding, the needy to adopt mobile services based on their affordability constraints by bridging the gap to a standard tariff. Case data are surveyed from various countries. ICT policy recommendations are made to support widespread and socially responsible communications access.

76 FR 17963 - Renewal of Agency Information Collection for Application for Job Placement and Training Services...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-31

... Application for Job Placement and Training Services; Request for Comments AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs... information for the Application for Job Placement and Training Services. The information collection is... training program, which provides vocational/technical training, related counseling, guidance, job placement...

Assessing Freshwater Ecosystem Service Risk over Ecological, Socioeconomic, and Cultural Gradients: Problem Space Characterization and Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Harmon, T. C.; Villamizar, S. R.; Conde, D.; Rusak, J.; Reid, B.; Astorga, A.; Perillo, G. M.; Piccolo, M. C.; Zilio, M.; London, S.; Velez, M.; Hoyos, N.; Escobar, J.

2014-12-01

Freshwater ecosystems and the services they provide are under increasing anthropogenic pressure at local (e.g., irrigation diversions, wastewater discharge) and global scales (e.g., climate change, global trading). The impact depends on an ecosystem's sensitivity, which is determined by its geophysical and ecological settings, and the population and activities in its surrounding watershed. Given the importance of ecosystem services, it is critical that we improve our ability to identify and understand changes in aquatic ecosystems, and translate them to risk of service loss. Furthermore, to inspire changes in human behavior, it is equally critical that we learn to communicate risk, and pose risk mitigation strategies, in a manner acceptable to a broad spectrum of stakeholders. Quantifying the nature and timing of the risk is difficult because (1) we often fail to understand the connection between anthropogenic pressures and the timing and extent of ecosystem changes; and (2) the concept of risk is inherently coupled to human perception, which generally differs with cultural and socio-economic conditions. In this study, we endeavor to assess aquatic ecosystem risks across an international array of six study sites. The challenge is to construct a methodology capable of capturing the marked biogeographical, socioeconomic, and cultural differences among the sites, which include: (1) Muskoka River watershed in humid continental Ontario, Canada; (2) Lower San Joaquin River, an impounded snow-fed river in semi-arid Central California; (3) Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, a tropical coastal lagoon in Colombia; (4) Senguer River basin in the semi-arid part of Argentina; (5) Laguna de Rocha watershed in humid subtropical Uruguay; and (6) Palomas Lake complex in oceanic Chilean Patagonia. Results will include a characterization of the experimental gradient over the six sites, an overview of the risk assessment methodology, and preliminary findings for several of the sites.

Social control of the quality of public services: Theory, methodology and results of empirical research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evgeny A. Kapoguzov

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The article reveals the theoretical and methodological aspect of the problem of social control in relation to the possibility of its implementation in the production of public services. The interdisciplinary nature of the discourse on the nature of social control is presented, the evolution of ideas about it in the framework of social science concepts is presented, and the relationship with related categories is revealed, in particular, "public control", "civil control". The evolution of essence is also traced the category "institutionalization", it is shown the lack of unambiguousness in its interpretation. The normative value of the institutionalization of social practices in the implementation of institutional design is presented, in particular, with regard to the improvement of the provision of public services. The barriers of institutionalization of social control (resource, information, institutional for quality of public services are characterized. The results of a mass survey of consumers of public services conducted in December 2016 in the Multifunctional Center (MFC of city Omsk are presented. Unlike other surveys and publications that only assess the level of customer satisfaction and do not give a detailed explanation of the attitude of consumers to the ongoing institutional changes, this paper presents an analysis of consumer attitudes and beliefs to meaningful attributes of the quality of public services on the one hand, and for various institutional alternatives of influence on the quality of public services on the other. According to the results of the mass survey, the low readiness for social action was established due to high transaction costs, the rational ignorance and a free-rider problem. The possibility of institutionalizing the practice of social action and setting up consumers for the creation of a specialized organization for the protection of consumer rights in the production of public services was discussed.

DEVELOPMENT OF REMOTE TOOLS TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS AND QUALITY OF CAR SERVICE ENTERPRISES WORK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir Kozlovskiy

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The paper is updated development problem of remote tools to assess the effectiveness and work quality of the corporate car service enterprises. This paper presents the author’s methodology of activity estimation car service enterprises based on corporate information reflecting the report on the production activities of the service company. Specialized information system has been developed and implemented based on the proposed methodology. Specialized information system is the analytical tool for assessing the activities of enterprises the brand network of car service, for one of the largest national carmakers. The aim of research is development and realization of a monitoring system for certain areas of the car service work that significantly affect the quality process of the maintenance service. In addition, the paper is devoted to solving urgent issues of collection and processing of real data on warranty defects of cars.

75 FR 55598 - Proposed Information Collection; The State of Ecosystem Services Implementation Survey

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-13

..., motivations for conducting projects, degree of project implementation, management actions resulting from... Services Implementation. Type of Request: This is a new collection. Affected Public: Individuals who are... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. Geological Survey [USGS-8327-CMG61] Proposed Information...

77 FR 38064 - Public Buildings Service; Information Collection; GSA Form 3453, Application/Permit for Use of...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-26

... Buildings Service; Information Collection; GSA Form 3453, Application/Permit for Use of Space in Public Buildings and Grounds AGENCY: Public Buildings Service, GSA. ACTION: Notice of request for comments... regarding GSA Form 3453, Application/Permit for Use of Space in Public Buildings and Grounds. Public...

36 CFR 1011.9 - When will the Presidio Trust transfer a debt to the Financial Management Service for collection?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false When will the Presidio Trust transfer a debt to the Financial Management Service for collection? 1011.9 Section 1011.9 Parks, Forests... When will the Presidio Trust transfer a debt to the Financial Management Service for collection? (a...

77 FR 45717 - Proposed Information Collection (Food Service and Nutritional Care Analysis) Activity; Comment...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

...The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to determine patients' satisfaction with the quality of food and nutrition services.

Methodological Support for Service-oriented Design with ISDL

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quartel, Dick; Dijkman, R.M.; van Sinderen, Marten J.

2004-01-01

Currently, service-oriented computing is mainly technology-driven. Most developments focus on the technology that enables enterprises to describe, publish and compose application services, and to communicate with applications of other enterprises according to their service descriptions. In this

76 FR 17423 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-29

... Services Administration publishes summaries of proposed data collection projects for public comment... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request In compliance with the requirements of...

Quality Service Evaluation through the System of Complaints and Praise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeta Krstić Vukelja

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Complaint, as the expression of customer dissatisfaction with the quality of products or services, is very valuable information. Well-built system for collecting, processing and analysis of complaints allows organizations to create the information base for making decisions based on facts. This data base provides an effective adoption and implementation of measures for continuous improvement of products/services quality. To make the system work effectively, it is necessary to continuously use the same methodology for collecting and processing complaints to be able constant comparisons from period to period. Greater investment in quality of products/services does not mean reducing the number of complaints in the same time due to the effects of the phenomenon of “unrealistic expectations”. In addition to complaints, a valuable source of information on customer satisfaction is the system of praise.

A mixed model study evaluating lean in the transformation of an Orthopaedic Radiology service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, Amanda Jane; Hogg, Peter; Mackay, Stuart

2013-01-01

Objective: The purpose of the study was to explore the proposition that lean is an effective methodology for service improvement within healthcare by using it to evaluate and implement change in a poor service. Design: A mixed model approach was used with data being collected before and after change. Setting: The orthopaedic radiology out-patient pathway in a large district general hospital was receiving increasing numbers of complaints with long waiting times and poor levels of satisfaction amongst patients and staff. Participants: Data were collected in the form of qualitative and quantitative data taken from questionnaires completed by staff and patients, and quantitative data extracted from the Radiology Information System. A proportionate stratified random sampling method was used to collect data from the patients and a theoretical sample was used for the staff. Intervention: The pre-implementation data was collected during a lean event in which a value stream map of the pathway was created. From this information, changes were planned and implemented, before collecting the post-implementation data using the same methods. Main outcome measures: The aims of the study were to compare pre-implementation and post-implementation data related to patient journey time, patient experience and staff and patient satisfaction. The quantitative data were analysed using Levene's test for equality of variance and a 2-sample t-test to test for comparison of the means. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse data collected from the polar and the selected response questions from the questionnaires, whilst thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Results: Results demonstrated that the new service offered a better quality of patient experience with higher levels of staff satisfaction whilst enabling an improvement in productivity. Conclusions: The author proposes that these findings support the proposition that lean is an effective methodology for service

A handbook of digital library economics operations, collections and services

CERN Document Server

Baker, David P

2013-01-01

This book provides a companion volume to Digital Library Economics and focuses on the 'how to' of managing digital collections and services (of all types) with regard to their financing and financial management. The emphasis is on case studies and practical examples drawn from a wide variety of contexts. A Handbook of Digital Library Economics is a practical manual for those involved - or expecting to be involved - in the development and management of digital libraries.provides practical approach to the subjectfocuses on the challenges associated with the economic and financial aspects of digi

(a,k)-Anonymous Scheme for Privacy-Preserving Data Collection in IoT-based Healthcare Services Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hongtao; Guo, Feng; Zhang, Wenyin; Wang, Jie; Xing, Jinsheng

2018-02-14

The widely use of IoT technologies in healthcare services has pushed forward medical intelligence level of services. However, it also brings potential privacy threat to the data collection. In healthcare services system, health and medical data that contains privacy information are often transmitted among networks, and such privacy information should be protected. Therefore, there is a need for privacy-preserving data collection (PPDC) scheme to protect clients (patients) data. We adopt (a,k)-anonymity model as privacy pretection scheme for data collection, and propose a novel anonymity-based PPDC method for healthcare services in this paper. The threat model is analyzed in the client-server-to-user (CS2U) model. On client-side, we utilize (a,k)-anonymity notion to generate anonymous tuples which can resist possible attack, and adopt a bottom-up clustering method to create clusters that satisfy a base privacy level of (a 1 ,k 1 )-anonymity. On server-side, we reduce the communication cost through generalization technology, and compress (a 1 ,k 1 )-anonymous data through an UPGMA-based cluster combination method to make the data meet the deeper level of privacy (a 2 ,k 2 )-anonymity (a 1  ≥ a 2 , k 2  ≥ k 1 ). Theoretical analysis and experimental results prove that our scheme is effective in privacy-preserving and data quality.

Service workers' job performance: the roles of personality traits, organizational identification, and customer orientation

OpenAIRE

He, Hongwei; Wang, Weiyue; Zhu, Weichun; Harris, Lloyd

2015-01-01

Purpose– This paper aims to advance the literature by testing the boundary of this relationship with reference to a key construct in employee performance in the service domain: employee customer orientation. Organizational identification refers to employees’ perceived oneness and belongingness to their work organization, and has been argued to be associated with higher employee performance.Design/methodology/approach– Data were collected based on a sample of call center service workers. Emplo...

A methodology for automation and robotics evaluation applied to the space station telerobotic servicer

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jeffrey H.; Gyanfi, Max; Volkmer, Kent; Zimmerman, Wayne

1988-01-01

The efforts of a recent study aimed at identifying key issues and trade-offs associated with using a Flight Telerobotic Servicer (FTS) to aid in Space Station assembly-phase tasks is described. The use of automation and robotic (A and R) technologies for large space systems would involve a substitution of automation capabilities for human extravehicular or intravehicular activities (EVA, IVA). A methodology is presented that incorporates assessment of candidate assembly-phase tasks, telerobotic performance capabilities, development costs, and effect of operational constraints (space transportation system (STS), attached payload, and proximity operations). Changes in the region of cost-effectiveness are examined under a variety of systems design assumptions. A discussion of issues is presented with focus on three roles the FTS might serve: (1) as a research-oriented testbed to learn more about space usage of telerobotics; (2) as a research based testbed having an experimental demonstration orientation with limited assembly and servicing applications; or (3) as an operational system to augment EVA and to aid the construction of the Space Station and to reduce the programmatic (schedule) risk by increasing the flexibility of mission operations.

Are consumer surveys valuable as a service improvement tool in health services? A critical appraisal.

Science.gov (United States)

Patwardhan, Anjali; Patwardhan, Prakash

2009-01-01

In the recent climate of consumerism and consumer focused care, health and social care needs to be more responsive than ever before. Consumer needs and preferences can be elicited with accepted validity and reliability only by strict methodological control, customerisation of the questionnaire and skilled interpretation. To construct, conduct, interpret and implement improved service provision, requires a trained work force and infrastructure. This article aims to appraise various aspects of consumer surveys and to assess their value as effective service improvement tools. The customer is the sole reason organisations exist. Consumer surveys are used worldwide as service and quality of care improvement tools by all types of service providers including health service providers. The article critically appraises the value of consumer surveys as service improvement tools in health services tool and its future applications. No one type of survey is the best or ideal. The key is the selection of the correct survey methodology, unique and customised for the particular type/aspect of care being evaluated. The method used should reflect the importance of the information required. Methodological rigor is essential for the effectiveness of consumer surveys as service improvement tools. Unfortunately so far there is no universal consensus on superiority of one particular methodology over another or any benefit of one specific methodology in a given situation. More training and some dedicated resource allocation is required to develop consumer surveys. More research is needed to develop specific survey methodology and evaluation techniques for improved validity and reliability of the surveys as service improvement tools. Measurement of consumer preferences/priorities, evaluation of services and key performance scores, is not easy. Consumer surveys seem impressive tools as they provide the customer a voice for change or modification. However, from a scientific point

Assessing the Value Dimensions of Outsourced Maintenance Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toossi, Amir; Lockett, Helen Louise; Raja, Jawwad

2013-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the diverse nature of tangible and intangible value dimensions that contribute to customers’ perception of value from outsourced maintenance services. Design/methodology/approach – A multiple case study approach has been adopted. Repertory grid......, an in-depth structured interviewing technique, has been used in order to draw out the respondents’ hidden constructs in evaluating outsourced maintenance services. Data have been collected from four customer organizations of outsourced maintenance services, and a total of 33 interviews have been...... undertaken. Findings – The paper has identified a range of tangible and intangible value dimensions that are of importance in maintenance outsourcing decision making. The most important value dimensions for maintenance outsourcing were found to be specialist knowledge, accessibility (of the service provider...

76 FR 73651 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-29

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request Periodically, the Health Resources and... Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (BCRS) places...

METHODOLOGY FRAMEWORK FOR PROCESS INTEGRATION AND SERVICE MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darko Galinec

2007-06-01

Full Text Available History of information systems development was driven by business system's functions automation and mergers and acquisitions - business subjects integration into a whole. Modern business requires business processes integration through their dynamics and thus enterprise application integration (EAI as well. In this connection it is necessary to find ways and means of application integration and interaction in a consistent and reliable way. The real-time enterprise (RTE monitors, captures and analyzes root causes and overt events that are critical to its success the instant those events occur [6]. EAI is determined by business needs and business requirements. It must be based on business process repository and models, business integration methodology (BIM and information flow as well. Decisions concerning technology must be in function of successful application integration. In this paper EAI methodological framework and technological concepts for its achievements are introduced.

Introduction to the special collection of papers on the San Luis Basin Sustainability Metrics Project: a methodology for evaluating regional sustainability.

Science.gov (United States)

Heberling, Matthew T; Hopton, Matthew E

2012-11-30

This paper introduces a collection of four articles describing the San Luis Basin Sustainability Metrics Project. The Project developed a methodology for evaluating regional sustainability. This introduction provides the necessary background information for the project, description of the region, overview of the methods, and summary of the results. Although there are a multitude of scientifically based sustainability metrics, many are data intensive, difficult to calculate, and fail to capture all aspects of a system. We wanted to see if we could develop an approach that decision-makers could use to understand if their system was moving toward or away from sustainability. The goal was to produce a scientifically defensible, but straightforward and inexpensive methodology to measure and monitor environmental quality within a regional system. We initiated an interdisciplinary pilot project in the San Luis Basin, south-central Colorado, to test the methodology. The objectives were: 1) determine the applicability of using existing datasets to estimate metrics of sustainability at a regional scale; 2) calculate metrics through time from 1980 to 2005; and 3) compare and contrast the results to determine if the system was moving toward or away from sustainability. The sustainability metrics, chosen to represent major components of the system, were: 1) Ecological Footprint to capture the impact and human burden on the system; 2) Green Net Regional Product to represent economic welfare; 3) Emergy to capture the quality-normalized flow of energy through the system; and 4) Fisher information to capture the overall dynamic order and to look for possible regime changes. The methodology, data, and results of each metric are presented in the remaining four papers of the special collection. Based on the results of each metric and our criteria for understanding the sustainability trends, we find that the San Luis Basin is moving away from sustainability. Although we understand

76 FR 55706 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comments Requested

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-08

...] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comments Requested ACTION: 60-Day notice of information collection: Certification on Agency Letterhead Authorizing Purchase of Firearm for..., including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; --Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity...

Evaluation of Reference Services--A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Kuruppu, Pali U.

2007-01-01

Understanding the inherent deficiencies in reference service as provided is critical to providing effective, high quality service. Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, as well as a combination of both, are being used to evaluate these services. The identification of appropriate research methodology is critical to an effective…

Using design science research to develop online enhanced pharmaceutical care services.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapão, Luís Velez; Gregório, João; Mello, Diogo; Cavaco, Afonso; Mira Da Silva, Miguel; Lovis, Christian

2014-01-01

The ePharmaCare project aims at assessing the potential of eHealth services for the provision of pharmaceutical services interacting actively with patients. The results presented here focus on the first three steps of Design Science Research Methodology. A mixed methods approach was used with an online survey to collect data on use of information technologies in community pharmacy, followed by an exploratory observational time and business processes study, which use the shadowing method to identify and assess the opportunity to lunch online services. Combining this with the Service Experiment Blueprint and the Dáder method an enhanced pharmaceutical service was designed. Next, an artifact is developed and a prototype is implemented to demonstrate the value of online pharmaceutical services' delivery. This new service could represent a new perspective for pharmaceutical services integration within the health system.

Water–sanitation–hygiene mapping: an improved approach for data collection at local level

OpenAIRE

Giné Garriga, Ricard; Jiménez Fernández de Palencia, Alejandro; Pérez Foguet, Agustí

2013-01-01

Strategic planning and appropriate development and management of water and sanitation services are strongly supported by accurate and accessible data. If adequately exploited, these data might assist water managers with performance monitoring, benchmarking comparisons, policy progress evaluation, resources allocation, and decision making. A variety of tools and techniques are in place to collect such information. However, some methodological weaknesses arise when developing an instrument ...

78 FR 38810 - Proposed Information Collection (Application for Furnishing Long-Term Care Service to...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-27

... (Application for Furnishing Long- Term Care Service to Beneficiaries of Veterans Affairs, and Residential Care.... 2900-0616.'' SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Residential Care Home Program--Sponsor Application, VA... collection. Abstract: VA Form 10-2407 is an application used by a residential care facility or home that...

Alternative pricing methodologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

With the increased interest in competitive market forces and growing recognition of the deficiencies in current practices, FERC and others are exploring alternatives to embedded cost pricing. A number of these alternatives are discussed in this chapter. Marketplace pricing, discussed briefly here, is the subject of the next chapter. Obviously, the pricing formula may combine several of these methodologies. One utility of which the authors are aware is seeking a price equal to the sum of embedded costs, opportunity costs, line losses, value of service, FERC's percentage adder formula and a contract service charge

The patron-driven library a practical guide for managing collections and services in the digital age

CERN Document Server

Allison, Dee Ann

2013-01-01

Libraries in the USA and globally are undergoing quiet revolution. Libraries are moving away from a philosophy that is collection-centered to one focused on service. Technology is key to that change. The Patron Driven Library explores the way technology has moved the focus from library collections to services, placing the reader at the center of library activities. The book reveals the way library users are changing, and how social networking, web delivery of information, and the uncertain landscape of e-print has energized librarians to adopt technology to meet a different model of the library while preserving core values. Following an introduction, the first part begins with the historical milieu, and moves on to current challenges for financing and acquiring materials, and an exploration of why the millennial generation is transformational. The second part examines how changes in library practice can create a culture for imagining library services in an age of information overflow. The final chapter asks: ...

Design Methodologies: Industrial and Educational Applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tomiyama, T.; Gul, P.; Jin, Y.; Lutters, Diederick; Kind, Ch.; Kimura, F.

2009-01-01

The field of Design Theory and Methodology has a rich collection of research results that has been taught at educational institutions as well as applied to design practices. First, this keynote paper describes some methods to classify them. It then illustrates individual theories and methodologies

DEVELOPMENT OF MSW COLLECTION SERVICES ON REGIONAL SCALE: SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND URBAN DISPARITIES IN NORTH-EAST REGION, ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FLORIN-CONSTANTIN MIHAI

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The cities are facing illegal dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW because the waste collection facilities do not cover the entire population. Furthermore, this sector is poorly developed in small towns or villages annexed to administrative territory units (ATU of cities , MSW are disposed in open dumps polluting the local environment. This paper analyzes on the one hand the urban disparities on public access to waste collection services (WCS in the North-East Region on the other hand, it performs a comparative analysis between 2003 and 2010 outlining the changes made in the context of Romania’s accession to EU. Also, it performs a quantitative assessment method of uncollected waste at urban level and correlated to demographic features of each city. Spatial-temporal analysis of waste indicators using thematic cartography or GIS techniques should be a basic tool for environmental monitoring or assessment of projects from this field in every development region (NUTS 2. The EU acquis requires the closure of noncompliant landfills, the extension of waste collection services, the development of facilities for separate collection, recycling and reuse according to waste hierarchy concept. Full coverage of urban population to waste collection services is necessary to provide a proper management of this sector. Urban disparities between counties and within counties highlights that current traditional waste management system is an environmental threat at local and regional scale.

Methodology for the collection and application of information on food ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

S Blignaut

ISSN 0378-5254 Journal of Family Ecology and Consumer Sciences, Vol 26: No 2, 1998. 89. Methodology .... Food preference therefore indicates an individual's personal motivation ...... food behavior in Sanjur, D. Social and cultural perspec-.

Concepts and a methodology for evaluating environmental services from trees of small farms in Chiapas, México.

Science.gov (United States)

Marinidou, Eleni; Finegan, Bryan; Jiménez-Ferrer, Guillermo; Delgado, Diego; Casanoves, Fernando

2013-01-15

We propose a methodology to estimate the environmental service (ES) value of small farms in Chiapas, Mexico, involving trained farmers-promoters in field sampling. We considered the ways in which the landscape's principal organisms, the trees, contribute to ES. We proposed a species functional value (FV) index based on their functional traits and key ecological characteristics, and estimated each site's ES value using FV weighted by the dimensions and abundance of individuals in different land uses (LU). Tree contribution to carbon storage (C) was defined using species wood density and biodiversity conservation value (BD) using food and habitat provision for wildlife and species existence (non-use) value (EX). Many species and individuals had high C, as wind-dispersed species with dense wood were common, but low BD prevailed, with high BD species common only in riparian forests. Few species and fewer individuals had high EX conferred by dense wood, large size, harvesting pressure and animal dispersal, among others. High variance in value within LU types, suggested that LU is a poor estimator of ES value, and that the measurement of species FV and tree dimensions is essential. This tool accurately reflects the ecological values of farm tree cover, allowing negotiation of compensation for environmental services. This methodology could be implemented combining open-access regional traits databases and field sampling by local people, and can easily be adapted for the measurement of other ES, and to other ecological and cultural contexts. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 48135 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

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2013-08-07

.... ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Richard Lucas, Office of Policy Support, Food and Nutrition Service, U... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Enhancing Completion Rates for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance...

Alternative management structures for municipal waste collection services: The influence of economic and political factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plata-Díaz, Ana María; Zafra-Gómez, José Luis; Pérez-López, Gemma; López-Hernández, Antonio Manuel

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We analyzed the factors that influence on the restructuring of MSW services. • We evaluated five different alternatives for public and private service. • Our analysis covers a broad time horizon, 2002–2010. • We used a conditional fixed-effects logistic regression as the evaluation method. • Municipalities tend to contract out the MSW service in the presence of high costs and fiscal stress. - Abstract: Identifying and characterising the factors that determine why a local authority opts for a particular way of managing its waste collection service is an important issue, warranting research interest in the field of municipal solid waste (MSW) management. This paper presents empirical evidence spanning a broad time horizon (2002–2010) showing that economic and political factors impact in different ways on the provision of waste management services. We examine five alternatives in this area, including public and private service delivery formulas and, within each field, individual and joint options. Our findings highlight the importance of the service cost and that of the various indicators of fiscal stress as determinant factors of management decisions regarding the provision of MSW management services

Alternative management structures for municipal waste collection services: The influence of economic and political factors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plata-Díaz, Ana María, E-mail: amplata@ugr.es; Zafra-Gómez, José Luis, E-mail: jlzafra@ugr.es; Pérez-López, Gemma, E-mail: gemmapl@ugr.es; López-Hernández, Antonio Manuel, E-mail: alopezh@ugr.es

2014-11-15

Highlights: • We analyzed the factors that influence on the restructuring of MSW services. • We evaluated five different alternatives for public and private service. • Our analysis covers a broad time horizon, 2002–2010. • We used a conditional fixed-effects logistic regression as the evaluation method. • Municipalities tend to contract out the MSW service in the presence of high costs and fiscal stress. - Abstract: Identifying and characterising the factors that determine why a local authority opts for a particular way of managing its waste collection service is an important issue, warranting research interest in the field of municipal solid waste (MSW) management. This paper presents empirical evidence spanning a broad time horizon (2002–2010) showing that economic and political factors impact in different ways on the provision of waste management services. We examine five alternatives in this area, including public and private service delivery formulas and, within each field, individual and joint options. Our findings highlight the importance of the service cost and that of the various indicators of fiscal stress as determinant factors of management decisions regarding the provision of MSW management services.

[Qualitative research in health services research - discussion paper, Part 2: Qualitative research in health services research in Germany - an overview].

Science.gov (United States)

Karbach, U; Stamer, M; Holmberg, C; Güthlin, C; Patzelt, C; Meyer, T

2012-08-01

diversity of methods used for data collection and analysis and showed that a few select methods are extensively used. One of the tasks a memorandum of qualitative health services research should accomplish is to highlight underutilized research methods, which may help to develop the potential of qualitative methodology in German health services research. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Maximizing Academic Library Collections: Measuring Changes in Use Patterns Owing to EBSCO Discovery Service

Science.gov (United States)

Calvert, Kristin

2015-01-01

Despite the prevalence of academic libraries adopting web-scale discovery tools, few studies have quantified their effect on the use of library collections. This study measures the impact that EBSCO Discovery Service has had on use of library resources through circulation statistics, use of electronic resources, and interlibrary loan requests.…

The use of soft system methodology (SSM) in a serviced-focussed study on the personal tutor's role.

Science.gov (United States)

Por, Jitna

2008-09-01

Soft system methodology (SSM) is described as a system-based methodology for tackling real world problems. SSM may be used as a means of articulating complex social processes in a particular way. SSM allows peoples' viewpoints and assumptions about the world to be bought to light, challenged and tested. This paper reports on the use of SSM in a service-focussed study (SFS) to explore the role of a personal tutor in nurse education. [Checkland, P., 1981. Systems Thinking Systems Practice. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester] highlighted the importance of considering cultural, social and political systems in the analysis. The seven stages of SSM are discussed in relation to the SFS and some of the findings are expressed through a 'Rich Picture'. It encourages commitment, brings diverse interests together and opens up the organizational culture. It also enables feasible and desirable changes to be recommended within the context of limited resources and competing demands upon lecturers' time. The SSM was an appropriate systematic model for this study and could be potentially useful in nurse education research.

75 FR 33308 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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2010-06-11

...; Service Area Expansion Application for Prescription Drug Coverage; Use: Collection of this information is... contracted service area by completing the Service Area Expansion (SAE) application. The collected information...: Business or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions; Number of Respondents: 295; Total Annual...

A Methodology for Evaluating User Perceptions of the Delivery of ICT Services: a comparative study of six UK local authorities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Les Worrall

2000-11-01

Full Text Available Evaluating and managing the effective delivery of ICT services is an issue that has been brought into sharper relief recently. This has been particularly prevalent in the UK public sector where the growing emphasis on formalised client-contractor relationships, outsourcing and benchmarking (both between local authorities and between local authorities and private sector organisations has meant that the definition of service standards and agreeing performance criteria has attracted considerable practitioner attention. This research is based on 295 interviews conducted in six UK local authorities. The investigation used both gap analysis and perceptual mapping techniques to develop an understanding of the aspects of ICT service delivery that users' value most in conjunction with an assessment of how well they perceive their ICT department is performing on these criteria. The paper exposes considerable differences in the relative performance of the six local authorities from both the gap analysis and the perceptual mapping elements of the investigation. The methodology is shown to provide an effective way of identifying key performance issues from the user perspective and benchmarking service performance across organisations.

LINKING CLASSROOM AND COMMUNITY: A THEORETICAL ALIGNMENT OF SERVICE LEARNING AND A HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN METHODOLOGY IN CONTEMPORARY COMMUNICATION DESIGN EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anneli Bowie

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The current emphasis on social responsibility and community collaboration within higher education has led to an increased drive to include service learning in the curriculum. With its emphasis on mutually beneficial collaborations, service learning can be meaningful for both students and the community, but is challenging to manage successfully. From a design education perspective, it is interesting to note that contemporary design practice emphasises a similar approach known as a human-centered design, where users are considered and included throughout the design process. In considering both service learning and human-centred design as foundations for design pedagogy, various philosophical and methodological similarities are evident. The paper explores the relationship between a service learning community engagement approach and a human-centered design approach in contemporary communication design education. To this end, each approach is considered individually after which a joint frame of reference is presented. Butin’s service learning typology, namely the four Rs – respect, reciprocity, relevance and reflection – serves as a point of departure for the joint frame of reference. Lastly, the potential value and relevance of a combined understanding of service learning and human-centered design is considered.

Computational Everyday Life Human Behavior Model as Servicable Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Motomura, Yoichi; Nishida, Yoshifumi

A project called `Open life matrix' is not only a research activity but also real problem solving as an action research. This concept is realized by large-scale data collection, probabilistic causal structure model construction and information service providing using the model. One concrete outcome of this project is childhood injury prevention activity in new team consist of hospital, government, and many varieties of researchers. The main result from the project is a general methodology to apply probabilistic causal structure models as servicable knowledge for action research. In this paper, the summary of this project and future direction to emphasize action research driven by artificial intelligence technology are discussed.

Developing services for climate impact and adaptation baseline information and methodologies for the Andes

Science.gov (United States)

Huggel, C.

2012-04-01

Impacts of climate change are observed and projected across a range of ecosystems and economic sectors, and mountain regions thereby rank among the hotspots of climate change. The Andes are considered particularly vulnerable to climate change, not only due to fragile ecosystems but also due to the high vulnerability of the population. Natural resources such as water systems play a critical role and are observed and projected to be seriously affected. Adaptation to climate change impacts is therefore crucial to contain the negative effects on the population. Adaptation projects require information on the climate and affected socio-environmental systems. There is, however, generally a lack of methodological guidelines how to generate the necessary scientific information and how to communicate to implementing governmental and non-governmental institutions. This is particularly important in view of the international funds for adaptation such as the Green Climate Fund established and set into process at the UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties in Cancun 2010 and Durban 2011. To facilitate this process international and regional organizations (World Bank and Andean Community) and a consortium of research institutions have joined forces to develop and define comprehensive methodologies for baseline and climate change impact assessments for the Andes, with an application potential to other mountain regions (AndesPlus project). Considered are the climatological baseline of a region, and the assessment of trends based on ground meteorological stations, reanalysis data, and satellite information. A challenge is the scarcity of climate information in the Andes, and the complex climatology of the mountain terrain. A climate data platform has been developed for the southern Peruvian Andes and is a key element for climate data service and exchange. Water resources are among the key livelihood components for the Andean population, and local and national economy, in particular for

Action research methodology in clinical pharmacy: how to involve and change.

Science.gov (United States)

Nørgaard, Lotte Stig; Sørensen, Ellen Westh

2016-06-01

Introduction The focus in clinical pharmacy practice is and has for the last 30-35 years been on changing the role of pharmacy staff into service orientation and patient counselling. One way of doing this is by involving staff in change process and as a researcher to take part in the change process by establishing partnerships with staff. On the background of the authors' widespread action research (AR)-based experiences, recommendations and comments for how to conduct an AR-study is described, and one of their AR-based studies illustrate the methodology and the research methods used. Methodology AR is defined as an approach to research which is based on a problem-solving relationship between researchers and clients, which aims at both solving a problem and at collaboratively generating new knowledge. Research questions relevant in AR-studies are: what was the working process in this change oriented study? What learning and/or changes took place? What challenges/pitfalls had to be overcome? What were the influence/consequences for the involved parts? When to use If you want to implement new services and want to involve staff and others in the process, an AR methodology is very suitable. The basic advantages of doing AR-based studies are grounded in their participatory and democratic basis and their starting point in problems experienced in practice. Limitations Some of the limitations in AR-studies are that neither of the participants in a project steering group are the only ones to decide. Furthermore, the collective process makes the decision-making procedures relatively complex.

Application of the methodology for improving the business processes for the compamy for Airport services TAV Airports Holding, Macedonia

OpenAIRE

Mitreva, Elizabeta; Taskov, Nako; Lazarovski, Zlatko

2015-01-01

In this paper we will make a full diagnosis of some business processes in the company for Airport services TAV Airports Holding, Macedonia. Based on the analysis we have made on the existing quality system an appropriate methodology is designed for each feature of the TQM (Total Quality Management) system in order to find the optimal solution for smooth operation of the airport traffic, in order to meet the wishes and needs of the customer, while the company makes a profit. The methodol...

A methodological comparison of customer service analysis techniques

Science.gov (United States)

James Absher; Alan Graefe; Robert Burns

2003-01-01

Techniques used to analyze customer service data need to be studied. Two primary analysis protocols, importance-performance analysis (IP) and gap score analysis (GA), are compared in a side-by-side comparison using data from two major customer service research projects. A central concern is what, if any, conclusion might be different due solely to the analysis...

Nurses' perception about risk classification in an emergency service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiane Chaves de Souza

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objective. Get to know how nurses perceive the accomplishment of risk classification in an emergency service. Methodology. In this qualitative study, 11 nurses were included with at least two months of experience in the risk classification of patients who visited the emergency service. Semistructured interviews were used to collect the information. The data were collected between August and December 2011. For data analysis, Bardin's theoretical framework was used. Results. The nurses in the study consider the risk classification as a work organization instruments that permits closer contact between nurses and patients. The nursing skills needed for risk classification were identified: knowledge about the scale used, clinical perspective, patience and agility. The availability of risk classification scales was the main facilitator of this work. The main difficulties were the disorganization of the care network and the health team's lack of knowledge of the protocol. Conclusion. Risk classification offers an opportunity for professional autonomy to the extent that it is the main responsible for regulating care at the entry door of the emergency services.

Buying business services : towards a structured service purchasing process

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Valk, van der W.; Rozemeijer, F.A.

2009-01-01

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to uncover the specific difficulties associated with buying services and proposes a structured purchasing process which can help organisational buyers to overcome the problems associated with services purchasing. Design/methodology/approach – The authors

Consumer Perceptions of Service Constellations : Implications for Service Innovation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Riel, A.C.R.; Calabretta, G.; Driessen, P.H.; Hillebrand, B.; Humphreys, A.; Krafft, M.; Beckers, S.F.M.

2013-01-01

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the service constellation perspective affects innovation strategies and potentially contributes to the innovation literature, proposing a research agenda. Design/methodology/approach - By analyzing the notion of a service constellation, the

Mass Customization in Wireless Communication Services: Individual Service Bundles and Tariffs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H. Chen (Hong); L-F. Pau (Louis-François)

2007-01-01

textabstractThis paper presents results on mass customization of wireless communications services and tariffs. It advocates for a user-centric view of wireless service configuration and pricing as opposed to present-day service catalog options. The focus is on design methodology and tools for such

Towards a common disability assessment framework: theoretical and methodological issues for providing public services and benefits using ICF.

Science.gov (United States)

Francescutti, Carlo; Frattura, Lucilla; Troiano, Raffaella; Gongolo, Francesco; Martinuzzi, Andrea; Sala, Marina; Meucci, Paolo; Raggi, Alberto; Russo, Emanuela; Buffoni, Mara; Gorini, Giovanna; Conclave, Mario; Petrangeli, Agostino; Solipaca, Alessandro; Leonardi, Matilde

2009-01-01

To report on the preliminary results of an Italian project on the implementation of an ICF-based protocol for providing public services and benefits for persons with disabilities. The UN Convention on the Rights of persons with disabilities (UNC) was mapped to the ICF, and core elements were implemented in an ICF-based evaluation protocol. A person-environment interaction classification (PEIC) tree was also developed for defining evaluation outputs. The PEIC and the ICF-based protocol are the guideline and the data interpretation source, respectively, for providing public services and benefits. They enable to assign persons to different services, from surveillance and monitoring to facilitator provision or sustain over time, to barrier removal or to the reorganisation of environmental factors provision. A detailed description of the target intervention is made available through the implementation of a protocol, which points out the effect of personal support and other environmental factors. The detailed description of functioning and disability provided by our methodology can help policy makers and administrators in decision making, on the basis of a description of real needs, and in targeting person-tailored interventions.

The role of the document delivery service at an evolving research library in Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Vijayakumar, J.K.

2015-01-01

Design/methodology/approach – To collect the responses of document delivery service users, an online questionnaire was used with 12 multiple-choice questions and two open-ended questions. The questionnaires were sent only to the users of this service, and the responses were collected anonymously. Two surveys were conducted, in 2010 and 2013, with the same questions. The responses are displayed graphically prepared to compare the results. There were 71 responses in 2010 and 95 in 2013. Findings – In both surveys, the majority of users rated the service, staff behaviour, speed, quality, etc. with a high satisfaction level. Document delivery order statistics are a major decision-making tool, in addition to usage analysis, for developing a better, economical and highly utilized collection in brand new libraries. delivery order statistics are a major decision-making tool, in addition to usage analysis, for developing a better, economical and highly utilized collection in brand new libraries. Originality/value – This is the first published study of user perception of document delivery in Saudi Arabia.

78 FR 58287 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Social Values of Ecosystem Services (SolVES) in...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-23

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Social Values of Ecosystem Services (SolVES) in Marine Protected Areas for Management Decision-Making AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Notice...

Methodology for reliability based condition assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Y.; Ellingwood, B.

1993-08-01

Structures in nuclear power plants may be exposed to aggressive environmental effects that cause their strength to decrease over an extended period of service. A major concern in evaluating the continued service for such structures is to ensure that in their current condition they are able to withstand future extreme load events during the intended service life with a level of reliability sufficient for public safety. This report describes a methodology to facilitate quantitative assessments of current and future structural reliability and performance of structures in nuclear power plants. This methodology takes into account the nature of past and future loads, and randomness in strength and in degradation resulting from environmental factors. An adaptive Monte Carlo simulation procedure is used to evaluate time-dependent system reliability. The time-dependent reliability is sensitive to the time-varying load characteristics and to the choice of initial strength and strength degradation models but not to correlation in component strengths within a system. Inspection/maintenance strategies are identified that minimize the expected future costs of keeping the failure probability of a structure at or below an established target failure probability during its anticipated service period

Systematic Review Methodology for the Fatigue in Emergency Medical Services Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, P Daniel; Higgins, J Stephen; Weiss, Patricia M; Lang, Eddy; Martin-Gill, Christian

2018-02-15

Guidance for managing fatigue in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) setting is limited. The Fatigue in EMS Project sought to complete multiple systematic reviews guided by seven explicit research questions, assemble the best available evidence, and rate the quality of that evidence for purposes of producing an Evidence Based Guideline (EBG) for fatigue risk management in EMS operations. We completed seven systematic reviews that involved searches of six databases for literature relevant to seven research questions. These questions were developed a priori by an expert panel and framed in the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) format and pre-registered with PROSPERO. Our target population was defined as persons 18 years of age and older classified as EMS personnel or similar shift worker groups. A panel of experts selected outcomes for each PICO question as prescribed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. We pooled findings, stratified by study design (experimental vs. observational) and presented results of each systematic review in narrative and quantitative form. We used meta-analyses of select outcomes to generate pooled effects. We used the GRADE methodology and the GRADEpro software to designate a quality of evidence rating for each outcome. We present the results for each systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). More than 38,000 records were screened across seven systematic reviews. The median, minimum, and maximum inter-rater agreements (Kappa) between screeners for our seven systematic reviews were 0.66, 0.49, and 0.88, respectively. The median, minimum, and maximum number of records retained for the seven systematic reviews was 13, 1, and 100, respectively. We present key findings in GRADE Evidence Profile Tables in separate publications for each systematic review. We describe a protocol for

Methodology for Validating Building Energy Analysis Simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Judkoff, R.; Wortman, D.; O' Doherty, B.; Burch, J.

2008-04-01

The objective of this report was to develop a validation methodology for building energy analysis simulations, collect high-quality, unambiguous empirical data for validation, and apply the validation methodology to the DOE-2.1, BLAST-2MRT, BLAST-3.0, DEROB-3, DEROB-4, and SUNCAT 2.4 computer programs. This report covers background information, literature survey, validation methodology, comparative studies, analytical verification, empirical validation, comparative evaluation of codes, and conclusions.

Computer-based information collection and feedback for Norwegian municipal health and social services.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, J J

1995-01-01

Norway is governed by a three-tier parliamentary system where each tier is governed by a popularly selected body: the national parliament, the county councils, and the municipality councils. This three-tier system is in many ways also reflected in the organization, management, and financing of health and social services. A large amount of information (e.g.,statistics and annual reports) flows between the three levels of management. In order to have a proper and efficient information flow, The Norwegian Ministry of Health and Social Affairs has, since 1992, been conducting a nation-wide project for information collection from and feedback to municipal health and social services (see Figure 1). In this presentation, we will present the basic idea behind The Wheel. We will also discuss some of the major activities in and experiences from the project of using Information Technology to implement an electronic Wheel. The following are basic issues to consider in implementing such a system, related to the following basic issues in implementing such a system [1]: Obtaining a unified information basis to: increase the data quality, and compile "definition catalogs" that contain commonly agreed-upon definitions of central concepts and data sets that are used in the municipal health and social services [2]. Achieving electronic data collection, both in terms of the automatic selection and aggregation of relevant data from operational systems in the municipalities and in terms of using Electronic Forms. Experiments with various ways of electronically feeding back the statistics and other comparative data to the municipalities. Providing the municipal users with appropriate tools for using the statistics that are fed back.

[Internet use in primary data collection in nursing research].

Science.gov (United States)

Apostolico, Maíra Rosa; Egry, Emiko Yoshikawa

2013-12-01

This is an experience report on the use of an instrument to collect data from primary sources available on the Internet. Considering the advances in technology that are changing the formation and the professional scenarios, the use of informatics in nursing research encourages the development of methodologies and information search. This study described since the construction of the instrument to collect data and revealed the possibility of facilities like approach much interviewed and offered a similar instrument used by professionals. The main difficulty was the low rate of response. It was considered a positive experience and even the low return of responses did not compromise the results of the qualitative study. It is expected that, in the near future, professionals use computational tools and make them instruments of performance in the routine of health services.

75 FR 41140 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Child Nutrition...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-15

... nutrient data from the food service industry to update and expand the Child Nutrition Database in support... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Child Nutrition Database AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA...

Activity-based costing in services: literature bibliometric review.

Science.gov (United States)

Stefano, Nara Medianeira; Filho, Nelson Casarotto

2013-12-01

This article is aimed at structuring a bibliography portfolio to treat the application of the ABC method in service and contribute to discussions within the scientific community. The methodology followed a three-stage procedure: Planning, execution and Synthesis. Also, the process ProKnow-C (Knowledge Process Development - Constructivist) was used in the execution stage. International databases were used to collect information (ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus). As a result, we obtained a bibliography portfolio of 21 articles (with scientific recognition) dealing with the proposed theme.

A Generalizable Methodology for Quantifying User Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Te-Yuan; Chen, Kuan-Ta; Huang, Polly; Lei, Chin-Laung

Quantifying user satisfaction is essential, because the results can help service providers deliver better services. In this work, we propose a generalizable methodology, based on survival analysis, to quantify user satisfaction in terms of session times, i. e., the length of time users stay with an application. Unlike subjective human surveys, our methodology is based solely on passive measurement, which is more cost-efficient and better able to capture subconscious reactions. Furthermore, by using session times, rather than a specific performance indicator, such as the level of distortion of voice signals, the effects of other factors like loudness and sidetone, can also be captured by the developed models. Like survival analysis, our methodology is characterized by low complexity and a simple model-developing process. The feasibility of our methodology is demonstrated through case studies of ShenZhou Online, a commercial MMORPG in Taiwan, and the most prevalent VoIP application in the world, namely Skype. Through the model development process, we can also identify the most significant performance factors and their impacts on user satisfaction and discuss how they can be exploited to improve user experience and optimize resource allocation.

A pragmatic approach for analysis and design of service inventories

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lago, P.; Razavian, M.; Jmaiel, M.; Pallis, G.

2012-01-01

Service Orientation is a paradigm for exposing business functions as reusable services and enabling business partners to discover those services on demand. Several service-oriented methodologies have been proposed in both academia and industry. Few methodologies, however, do provide concrete yet

Effective collective dose imparted by a medicine nuclear service to Cordoba and Jaen populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arias, M.C.; Galvez, M.; Torres, M.

1997-01-01

The application of diagnostic techniques in nuclear medicine is ever growing as part of clinical daily routine. Although the diagnostic procedures carry a negligible clinical risk, the introduction of radioactive substances into the patient makes it imperative to determine the effective dose to minimize the stochastic effects to the patient thus establishing the collective dose to the community. The aim of our work is to study the collective effective dose imparted by Nuclear Medicine Service during 1997 to Cordoba and Jaen inhabitants (1 448 988). The nuclear medicine techniques of bone exploration with 11 454 mSv-person (4,6 mSv/exploration) and thyroid scintigraphy with 6181 mSv-person (7,0 mSv /exploration) are the main techniques implicated in the relative contribution to the total annual effective collective dose of 35 901.2 mSv-person

Application of PRINCE2 Project Management Methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vaníčková Radka

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The methodology describes the principle of setting a project in PRINCE2 project management. The main aim of the paper is to implement PRINCE2 methodology to be used in an enterprise in the service industry. A partial aim is to choose a supplier of the project among new travel guides. The result of the project activity is a sight-seeing tour/service more attractive for customers in the tourism industry and a possible choice of new job opportunities. The added value of the article is the description of applying the principles, processes and topics of PRINCE2 project management so that they might be used in the field.

Current trends in Bayesian methodology with applications

CERN Document Server

Upadhyay, Satyanshu K; Dey, Dipak K; Loganathan, Appaia

2015-01-01

Collecting Bayesian material scattered throughout the literature, Current Trends in Bayesian Methodology with Applications examines the latest methodological and applied aspects of Bayesian statistics. The book covers biostatistics, econometrics, reliability and risk analysis, spatial statistics, image analysis, shape analysis, Bayesian computation, clustering, uncertainty assessment, high-energy astrophysics, neural networking, fuzzy information, objective Bayesian methodologies, empirical Bayes methods, small area estimation, and many more topics.Each chapter is self-contained and focuses on

Marketing of Healthcare Services with reference to Laboratory services

OpenAIRE

Ajotikar, Vaishali M.; Ali, Dr.M. M

2015-01-01

The paper attempts to study empirically dealers point of view on the 7ps i.e. marketing mix for laboratory services. The primary data was collected from dealers by administering interview schedules on 7ps of laboratory service marketing. This data collected was tabulated, analyzed and intepretated so as to suitably arrive at findings. High score for statements: laboratory services are prompt, services are rendered on cash basis to patients, laboratory has collection centers in different area...

The use of qualitative methodologies in health services/systems research in low and middle income settings: a narrative literature review.

OpenAIRE

Green, Judith Maureen; Pereyaslov, Dmitriy; Ahmedov, Mohir; Balabanoa, Dina

2010-01-01

SUMMARYAimsThe aims of this review are to:i) Use a case study of published literature on quality of care in the Former Soviet Union to identify current issues in the use if qualitative methods in health services/systems (HSR) research;ii) Summarise what is known from the wider literature about the challenges and possibilities of transferring qualitative methodologies for (HSR) to low and middle-income countries;iii) Identify the implications for the design of cross-national qualitative HSR st...

The operations and effectiveness of public and private provision of solid waste collection services in Kampala

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Katusiimeh, M.W.; Mol, A.P.J.; Burger, C.P.J.

2012-01-01

This paper compares the operations and discusses the effectiveness of public and private sector provision of solid waste collection in Kampala, Uganda. Household data suggest that the private sector is more effective than the public sector. Private sector companies provide services like container

The Feasibility of Embedding Data Collection into the Routine Service Delivery of a Multi-Component Program for High-Risk Young People.

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, Alice; Havard, Alys; Shakeshaft, Anthony; Maple, Myfanwy; Snijder, Mieke; Shakeshaft, Bernie

2017-02-20

There is little evidence about how to improve outcomes for high-risk young people, of whom Indigenous young people are disproportionately represented, due to few evaluation studies of interventions. One way to increase the evidence is to have researchers and service providers collaborate to embed evaluation into the routine delivery of services, so program delivery and evaluation occur simultaneously. This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating best-evidence measures into the routine data collection processes of a service for high-risk young people, and identify the number and nature of risk factors experienced by participants. The youth service is a rural based NGO comprised of multiple program components: (i) engagement activities; (ii) case management; (iii) diversionary activities; (iv) personal development; and (v) learning and skills. A best-evidence assessment tool was developed by staff and researchers and embedded into the service's existing intake procedure. Assessment items were organised into demographic characteristics and four domains of risk: education and employment; health and wellbeing; substance use; and crime. Descriptive data are presented and summary risk variables were created for each domain of risk. A count of these summary variables represented the number of co-occurring risks experienced by each participant. The feasibility of this process was determined by the proportion of participants who completed the intake assessment and provided research consent. This study shows 85% of participants completed the assessment tool demonstrating that data on participant risk factors can feasibly be collected by embedding a best-evidence assessment tool into the routine data collection processes of a service. The most prevalent risk factors were school absence, unemployment, suicide ideation, mental distress, substance use, low levels of physical activity, low health service utilisation, and involvement in crime or with the juvenile

76 FR 31338 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-31

... Medicare program and Medicare plans design and monitor patient-centered quality improvement initiatives... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [Document Identifier CMS-10147, CMS-10396 and CMS-R-246] Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection...

Service innovations breaking institutionalized rules of health care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wallin, Arto; Fuglsang, Lars

2017-01-01

.e. regulations, normative rules, and cultural-cognitive beliefs) protecting the field by introducing digitally enabled service innovations into health care markets. Design/methodology/approach – The study is qualitative and interpretative in nature and utilizes case study as a research strategy. The paper...... is based on data that were collected through narrative interviews and document analysis from seven new ventures participating in a start-up accelerator program. Findings – Results indicate that service innovations that require a change in the institutional structures of the health care system are enacted...... through three highly iterative key processes: institutional sensemaking that creates an understanding of prevailing institutional arrangements and that constructs meaning for institutional change efforts, theorization of change through linguistic device, and modifications of institutions by building...

How to Enhance the Impact of Training on Service Quality? Evidence from Malaysian Public Sector Context

Science.gov (United States)

Zumrah, Abdul Rahim

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to highlight the importance role of transfer of training as a mediator in the relationship between training and service quality. Design/methodology/approach: The data of this study were collected from three sources: the employees of public sector organizations in Malaysia who participated in a Basic Financial…

Maternity services in multi-cultural Britain: using Q methodology to explore the views of first- and second-generation women of Pakistani origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Cross-Sudworth, Fiona; Williams, Amanda; Herron-Marx, Sandy

2011-08-01

to explore first- and second-generation Pakistani women's experiences of maternity services and the inter generational differences/comparisons. a retrospective Q methodology study of Pakistani women following childbirth. two Children's Centres in an inner city in the West Midlands. women self-identified following distribution of information leaflets at Children's Centres. Fifteen women took part in interviews (Stage one) using a semi-structured design and 16 women participated in the completion of the Q grid sorting (Stage four). a standard five-stage Q methodology process took place: (1) initial data were gathered using a combination of individual face-to-face and focus group semi-structured community-based interviews (developing the concourse); (2) transcribed interviews were analysed for 'themes'; (3) the themes were reduced to 'statements' that reflected the overall content of the concourse using an unstructured evolving approach (giving the Q set); (4) participants were asked to sort the statements (Q sorting) according to a pre-designed distribution grid providing individual participant response grids; and (5) the response grids were factor analysed using PQ Method (V2.11), which generates clusters of participants rather than clusters of variables. Factor loadings were calculated using factor analysis by principal components with varimax rotation. This produced a list of factors, each of which represents a 'story' of women's experiences of maternity services. Throughout the process, an Urdu interpreter was involved. six factors were identified: (1) confidence and empowerment of women who had attended higher education and had family support; (2) isolation of some women from both family and maternity services; (3) women who had poor experiences of maternity services but good family support, and wanted opportunities to be involved in service development; (4) women with positive experiences of maternity care and influenced by traditional cultural practices; (5

78 FR 68851 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-15

... CMS' intention to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the... Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. The... evaluation will examine the potential costs of expanding the RCHD payment methodology, accounting for...

Online data collection from video game players: methodological issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Richard T A; Griffiths, Mark D; Eatough, Virginia

2004-10-01

The paper outlines the advantages and disadvantages of using the Internet to collect data concerning both online and offline gamers. Drawing from experience of a number of studies carried out online by the authors and by reviewing the available literature, the authors discuss the main issues concerning data collected from video game players. The paper examines a number of areas, including recruiting and utilizing participants, validity, suitable methods of data collection (i.e., questionnaire studies, online tests, participant observation, online interviews), and ethical issues. It is concluded that online research methods can be a useful way of examining the psychosocial aspects of video game playing.

78 FR 20139 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comments Requested: Request for...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-03

... Collection; Comments Requested: Request for Recognition of a Non-profit Religious, Charitable, Social Service... Approved Collection. (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Request for Recognition of a Non- profit Religious, Charitable, Social Service, or Similar Organization. (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable...

76 FR 63301 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-12

... requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods... Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service... Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' to OMB for approval under...

Study on e-government services quality: The integration of online and offline services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Fan

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose: E-Government, as a new bond linking the government and the public, has gradually become the focus of innovation in government services. The paper focuses on the e-Government service quality issues from the perspective of users. Design/methodology/approach: From the aspects of online service quality perception and offline service quality perception, based on IS Success model and SERQUAL model, e-Government Services Quality model has been set up with information quality, system quality and service quality as key factors. Then, the survey method was applied to collect data and then to test the model. Findings: It was found that users’ perception of offline service quality has a significant effect on improving their perception of online service quality, and online service quality perception has a significant effect on public satisfaction of e-Government services; information clarity, system security and stability, interactive services and “one-stop” services all have a significant effect on public satisfaction of e-Government services. However, offline service quality perception has certain positive effect on public satisfaction of e-Government services but not dramatically. Research limitations/implications: Mobile e-Government as an important direction of the development of e-Government, in the future, we will study more about mobile e-Government services channels. Originality/value: This study further develops the theory of information system service quality, and also provides a theoretical reference for government departments. On the one hand, based on the characteristics of e-government system, information quality, system quality and service quality in the previous system service model are further discussed; on the other hand, both online and offline services are taken into consideration in the information system service model, thus establishing the e-government services quality model and making an in-depth study of the

Proper Methodology and Methods of Collecting and Analyzing Slavery Data: An Examination of the Global Slavery Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Guth

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The Global Slavery Index aims to, among other objectives, recognize the forms, size, and scope of slavery worldwide as well as the strengths and weaknesses of individual countries. An analysis of the Index’s methods exposes significant and critical weaknesses and raises questions into its replicability and validity. The Index may prove more valuable in the future if proper methods are implemented, but the longer improper methods are used the more damage is done to the public policy debate on slavery by advancing data and policy that is not based on sound methodology. To implement proper methods, a committee of sophisticated methodologists needs to develop measurement tools and constantly analyze and refine these methods over the years as data is collected.

Examining the Relationship between Perceived Organizational Support, Transfer of Training and Service Quality in the Malaysian Public Sector

Science.gov (United States)

Zumrah, Abdul Rahim

2015-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationships among perceived organizational support (POS), transfer of training outcomes to the workplace and service quality in the context of public sector organizations in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: The data for this study have been collected from three sources, the employees of public…

Site study plan for geochemical analytical requirements and methodologies: Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-12-01

This site study plan documents the analytical methodologies and procedures that will be used to analyze geochemically the rock and fluid samples collected during Site Characterization. Information relating to the quality aspects of these analyses is also provided, where available. Most of the proposed analytical procedures have been used previously on the program and are sufficiently sensitive to yield high-quality analyses. In a few cases improvements in analytical methodology (e.g., greater sensitivity, fewer interferences) are desired. Suggested improvements to these methodologies are discussed. In most cases these method-development activities have already been initiated. The primary source of rock and fluid samples for geochemical analysis during Site Characterization will be the drilling program, as described in various SRP Site Study Plans. The Salt Repository Project (SRP) Networks specify the schedule under which the program will operate. Drilling will not begin until after site ground water baseline conditions have been established. The Technical Field Services Contractor (TFSC) is responsible for conducting the field program of drilling and testing. Samples and data will be handled and reported in accordance with established SRP procedures. A quality assurance program will be utilized to assure that activities affecting quality are performed correctly and that the appropriate documentation is maintained. 28 refs., 9 figs., 14 tabs

78 FR 36577 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comments Requested: Request for...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-18

... Collection; Comments Requested: Request for Recognition of a Non-Profit Religious, Charitable, Social Service... Collection. (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Request for Recognition of a Non- profit Religious, Charitable, Social Service, or Similar Organization. (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of...

Recommendations for the organization of mental health services for children and adolescents in Belgium: use of the soft systems methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandenbroeck, Philippe; Dechenne, Rachel; Becher, Kim; Eyssen, Marijke; Van den Heede, Koen

2014-02-01

The prevalence of mental health problems among children and adolescents in Western countries is high. Belgium, like many other Western countries, struggles with the set-up of a coherent and effective strategy for dealing with this complex societal problem. This paper describes the development of a policy scenario for the organization of child and adolescent mental health care services (CAMHS) in Belgium. The development process relied on Soft Systems Methodology including a participatory process with 66 stakeholders and a review of the existing (inter-)national evidence. A diagnostic analysis illustrated that the Belgian CAMHS is a system in serious trouble characterized by fragmentation and compartmentalization. A set of 10 strategic recommendations was formulated to lay down the contours of a future, more effective CAMHS system. They focus on mastering the demands made on scarce and expensive specialized mental health services; strengthening the range of services - in particular for those with serious, complex and multiple mental health problems - and strengthening the adaptive capacity of and the ethical guidance within the future CAMHS system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nurse-led liaison mental health service for older adults: service development using lean thinking methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Atkinson, Paula; Mukaetova-Ladinska, Elizabeta B

2012-04-01

Liaison Psychiatric Services for Older Adults in the UK have been established over the last decade, with rather divergent team composition and involvement. The latest documents (National Dementia Strategy, Who Cares Wins) set the gold standard for liaison services for older adults in England, requiring a proactive approach to services and integrating assessment and treatment of mental disorder into routine general hospital practice. This requires a physical presence of liaison services in the hospital, with collaboration with medical colleagues. We have adopted the above strategy in a nurse-led liaison service working in a General District Hospital, and used the Toyota Production System. In the current study we reflect on the 5 day rapid progress improvement workshops event for the liaison branch of the project, and describe the process of identifying real situation problems for the care of the medically ill, the involvement of the liaison team in their clinical care, and a feedback on the change in practice. The novel approach of identifying areas for change in an ongoing nurse-led Liaison service for Older Adults resulted in improving access to mental health services for elderly medically ill inpatients and improved quality of their overall care. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

USGS Methodology for Assessing Continuous Petroleum Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Charpentier, Ronald R.; Cook, Troy A.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed a new quantitative methodology for assessing resources in continuous (unconventional) petroleum deposits. Continuous petroleum resources include shale gas, coalbed gas, and other oil and gas deposits in low-permeability ("tight") reservoirs. The methodology is based on an approach combining geologic understanding with well productivities. The methodology is probabilistic, with both input and output variables as probability distributions, and uses Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the estimates. The new methodology is an improvement of previous USGS methodologies in that it better accommodates the uncertainties in undrilled or minimally drilled deposits that must be assessed using analogs. The publication is a collection of PowerPoint slides with accompanying comments.

The Importance of Perceived Service Value in Retail Banking Services

OpenAIRE

Aleksandra Pisnik; Jasmina Dlačić; Borut Milfelner

2016-01-01

Purpose – In many industries, perceived service value is found to be a significant mediator between perceived service quality and customer satisfaction and loyalty. Therefore, this paper aims to test a conceptual model of perceived service value with its antecedents, such as perceived price and perceived service quality, and consequences, customer satisfaction and loyalty, in the retail banking industry. Design/Methodology/Approach – For the empirical study, a measurement instrument was d...

Improving Learning Outcome Using Six Sigma Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Tetteh, Godson A.

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to apply the Six Sigma methodology to identify the attributes of a lecturer that will help improve a student's prior knowledge of a discipline from an initial "x" per cent knowledge to a higher "y" per cent of knowledge. Design/methodology/approach: The data collection method…

Collaboratively Conceived, Designed and Implemented: Matching Visualization Tools with Geoscience Data Collections and Geoscience Data Collections with Visualization Tools via the ToolMatch Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoebelheinrich, N. J.; Lynnes, C.; West, P.; Ferritto, M.

2014-12-01

Two problems common to many geoscience domains are the difficulties in finding tools to work with a given dataset collection, and conversely, the difficulties in finding data for a known tool. A collaborative team from the Earth Science Information Partnership (ESIP) has gotten together to design and create a web service, called ToolMatch, to address these problems. The team began their efforts by defining an initial, relatively simple conceptual model that addressed the two uses cases briefly described above. The conceptual model is expressed as an ontology using OWL (Web Ontology Language) and DCterms (Dublin Core Terms), and utilizing standard ontologies such as DOAP (Description of a Project), FOAF (Friend of a Friend), SKOS (Simple Knowledge Organization System) and DCAT (Data Catalog Vocabulary). The ToolMatch service will be taking advantage of various Semantic Web and Web standards, such as OpenSearch, RESTful web services, SWRL (Semantic Web Rule Language) and SPARQL (Simple Protocol and RDF Query Language). The first version of the ToolMatch service was deployed in early fall 2014. While more complete testing is required, a number of communities besides ESIP member organizations have expressed interest in collaborating to create, test and use the service and incorporate it into their own web pages, tools and / or services including the USGS Data Catalog service, DataONE, the Deep Carbon Observatory, Virtual Solar Terrestrial Observatory (VSTO), and the U.S. Global Change Research Program. In this session, presenters will discuss the inception and development of the ToolMatch service, the collaborative process used to design, refine, and test the service, and future plans for the service.

Engaging Australian Aboriginal narratives to challenge attitudes and create empathy in health care: a methodological perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Wain, Toni; Sim, Moira; Bessarab, Dawn; Mak, Donna; Hayward, Colleen; Rudd, Cobie

2016-06-02

Unconscious bias and negative attitudes towards minority groups have detrimental effects on the way health care is, or is not, provided to these groups. Recognition of racist attitudes and behaviours as well as understanding clients' experiences of health and health care are pivotal to developing better health care strategies to positively impact on the quality and safety of care provided to Indigenous people. Indigenous research demands inclusive research processes and the use of culturally appropriate methodologies. This paper presents a methodological account of collecting narratives which accurately and respectfully reflect Aboriginal Australians' experiences with health care in Western Australia. The purpose of these narratives is to provide health students and professionals with an opportunity to 'walk-in the shoes' of Aboriginal people where face-to-face interaction is not feasible. With the incorporation of Indigenous peoples' voices being an important link in cultural safety, the project was led by an Indigenous Reference group, who encouraged active participation of Aboriginal people in all areas of the project. Using a phenomenological approach and guided by the Indigenous Reference group, yarning data collection was implemented to collect stories focusing on Aboriginal people's experiences with health care services. An open-access, on-line website was established to host education resources developed from these "yarns". Yarning provided a rich source of information on personal experiences and encouraged the story provider to recognise their facilitative role in the research process. While the methodology used in this project was lengthy and labour-intensive it afforded a respectful manner for story collection and highlighted several innate flaws when Western methods are applied to an Indigenous context. Engagement of an Indigenous Reference Group was pivotal to designing an appropriate methodology that incorporated the voices of Aboriginal people in a

78 FR 72151 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request on Information Collection Tools Relating to Qualitative...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-02

... Information Collection Tools Relating to Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery. AGENCY: Internal...(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning the collection of qualitative...: Title: Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery OMB Number: 1545-NEW. Form Number...

The Effect of School and Teacher Themed Movies on Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Attitudes and Perceived Self-Efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Kaskaya, Alper; Unlu, Ihsan; Akar, M. Said; Ozturan Sagirli, Meryem

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of school and teacher themed movies on pre-service teachers' attitudes towards their profession and their perceived self-efficacy. As qualitative and quantitative research approaches were employed during data collection procedure, mixed methodology was adopted in this study. In the study, one of…

76 FR 6827 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection, Comments Requested

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-08

... Services Division (CJIS), Biometric Services Section, Support Services Unit, Module E-1, 1000 Custer Hollow... technological collection techniques of other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic...

Communal Participation in Payment for Environmental Services (PES): Unpacking the Collective Decision to Enroll

Science.gov (United States)

Murtinho, Felipe; Hayes, Tanya

2017-06-01

Payment for Environmental Service programs are increasingly applied in communal settings where resource users collectively join the program and agree to limit their shared use of a common-property resource. Who decides to join PES and the degree to which community members agree with the collective decision is critical for the success of said programs. Yet, we have limited understanding of the factors that influence communal participation and the collective decision process. This paper examines communal participation in a national payment for conservation program in Ecuador. We use quantitative and qualitative analysis to (i) identify the attributes of the communities that participate (or not), and factors that facilitate participation ( n = 67), and (ii) assess household preference and alignment with the collective decision to participate ( n = 212). Household participation preferences indicate varying degrees of consensus with the collective decision to participate, with those using the resource less likely to support participation. At the communal level, however, our results indicate that over time, those communities that depend more heavily on their resource systems may ultimately choose to participate. Our findings suggest that communal governance structures and outside organizations may be instrumental in gaining participation in resource-dependent communities and building consensus. Findings also point to the need for further research on communal decision-processes to ensure that the collective decision is based on an informed and democratic process.

Accessibility to health services by persons with disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Shamyr Sulyvan; Lefèvre, Fernando; Lefèvre, Ana Maria Cavalcanti; Cesar, Chester Luiz Galvão

2011-02-01

To analyze the difficulties in accessibility to health services experienced by persons with disabilities. A qualitative study was performed with individuals who reported having a certain type of disability (paralysis or amputation of limbs; low vision, unilateral or total blindness; low hearing, unilateral or total deafness). A total of 25 individuals (14 women) were interviewed in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, between June and August 2007, responding to questions about transportation and accessibility to health services. Collective Subject Discourse was the methodology used to analyze results and analyses were performed with the Qualiquantisoft software. The analysis of discourses on transportation to health services revealed a diversity in terms of the user going to the service alone or accompanied; using a private car, public transportation or ambulance or walking; and requiring different times to arrive at the service. With regard to the difficulties in accessibility to health services, there were reports of delayed service, problems with parking, and lack of ramps, elevators, wheelchairs, doctors and adapted toilets. Individuals with a certain type of disability used various means of transportation, requiring someone to accompany them in some cases. Problems with accessibility to health services were reported by persons with disabilities, contradicting the principle of equity, a precept of the Brazilian Unified Health System.

Experience-based co-design in an adult psychological therapies service.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Kate; Gillmore, Chris; Hogg, Lorna

2016-01-01

Experience-based co-design (EBCD) is a methodology for service improvement and development, which puts service-user voices at the heart of improving health services. The aim of this paper was to implement the EBCD methodology in a mental health setting, and to investigate the challenges which arise during this process. In order to achieve this, a modified version of the EBCD methodology was undertaken, which involved listening to the experiences of the people who work in and use the mental health setting and sharing these experiences with the people who could effect change within the service, through collaborative work between service-users, staff and managers. EBCD was implemented within the mental health setting and was well received by service-users, staff and stakeholders. A number of modifications were necessary in this setting, for example high levels of support available to participants. It was concluded that EBCD is a suitable methodology for service improvement in mental health settings.

Methodological issues associated with collecting sensitive information over the telephone - experience from an Australian non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI prevalence study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fullerton Simon

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Collecting population data on sensitive issues such as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI is problematic. Case note audits or hospital/clinic based presentations only record severe cases and do not distinguish between suicidal and non-suicidal intent. Community surveys have largely been limited to school and university students, resulting in little much needed population-based data on NSSI. Collecting these data via a large scale population survey presents challenges to survey methodologists. This paper addresses the methodological issues associated with collecting this type of data via CATI. Methods An Australia-wide population survey was funded by the Australian Government to determine prevalence estimates of NSSI and associations, predictors, relationships to suicide attempts and suicide ideation, and outcomes. Computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI on a random sample of the Australian population aged 10+ years of age from randomly selected households, was undertaken. Results Overall, from 31,216 eligible households, 12,006 interviews were undertaken (response rate 38.5%. The 4-week prevalence of NSSI was 1.1% (95% ci 0.9-1.3% and lifetime prevalence was 8.1% (95% ci 7.6-8.6. Methodological concerns and challenges in regard to collection of these data included extensive interviewer training and post interview counselling. Ethical considerations, especially with children as young as 10 years of age being asked sensitive questions, were addressed prior to data collection. The solution required a large amount of information to be sent to each selected household prior to the telephone interview which contributed to a lower than expected response rate. Non-coverage error caused by the population of interest being highly mobile, homeless or institutionalised was also a suspected issue in this low prevalence condition. In many circumstances the numbers missing from the sampling frame are small enough to not cause worry

Evaluating Service Quality in Universities: A Service Department Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Gareth; Smith, Alison; Clarke, Alison

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to report on an in-depth exploration of service quality in an Information Technology service department in a Higher Education Institute (HEI) and to evaluate the instrument used. Design/methodology/approach: The study surveys customers using the SERVQUAL instrument, which is one of the most widely used and…

Model-driven Service Engineering with SoaML

Science.gov (United States)

Elvesæter, Brian; Carrez, Cyril; Mohagheghi, Parastoo; Berre, Arne-Jørgen; Johnsen, Svein G.; Solberg, Arnor

This chapter presents a model-driven service engineering (MDSE) methodology that uses OMG MDA specifications such as BMM, BPMN and SoaML to identify and specify services within a service-oriented architecture. The methodology takes advantage of business modelling practices and provides a guide to service modelling with SoaML. The presentation is case-driven and illuminated using the telecommunication example. The chapter focuses in particular on the use of the SoaML modelling language as a means for expressing service specifications that are aligned with business models and can be realized in different platform technologies.

Introducing a methodology for estimating duration of surgery in health services research.

Science.gov (United States)

Redelmeier, Donald A; Thiruchelvam, Deva; Daneman, Nick

2008-09-01

The duration of surgery is an indicator for the quality, risks, and efficiency of surgical procedures. We introduce a new methodology for assessing the duration of surgery based on anesthesiology billing records, along with reviewing its fundamental logic and limitations. The validity of the methodology was assessed through a population-based cohort of patients (n=480,986) undergoing elective operations in 246 Ontario hospitals with 1,084 anesthesiologists between April 1, 1992 and March 31, 2002 (10 years). The weaknesses of the methodology relate to missing data, self-serving exaggerations by providers, imprecisions from clinical diversity, upper limits due to accounting regulations, fluctuations from updates over the years, national differences in reimbursement schedules, and the general failings of claims base analyses. The strengths of the methodology are in providing data that match clinical experiences, correspond to chart review, are consistent over time, can detect differences where differences would be anticipated, and might have implications for examining patient outcomes after long surgical times. We suggest that an understanding and application of large studies of surgical duration may help scientists explore selected questions concerning postoperative complications.

76 FR 9032 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-16

... assessment of the operations of the system. The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will...

The Feasibility of Embedding Data Collection into the Routine Service Delivery of a Multi-Component Program for High-Risk Young People

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alice Knight

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Background: There is little evidence about how to improve outcomes for high-risk young people, of whom Indigenous young people are disproportionately represented, due to few evaluation studies of interventions. One way to increase the evidence is to have researchers and service providers collaborate to embed evaluation into the routine delivery of services, so program delivery and evaluation occur simultaneously. This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating best-evidence measures into the routine data collection processes of a service for high-risk young people, and identify the number and nature of risk factors experienced by participants. Methods: The youth service is a rural based NGO comprised of multiple program components: (i engagement activities; (ii case management; (iii diversionary activities; (iv personal development; and (v learning and skills. A best-evidence assessment tool was developed by staff and researchers and embedded into the service’s existing intake procedure. Assessment items were organised into demographic characteristics and four domains of risk: education and employment; health and wellbeing; substance use; and crime. Descriptive data are presented and summary risk variables were created for each domain of risk. A count of these summary variables represented the number of co-occurring risks experienced by each participant. The feasibility of this process was determined by the proportion of participants who completed the intake assessment and provided research consent. Results: This study shows 85% of participants completed the assessment tool demonstrating that data on participant risk factors can feasibly be collected by embedding a best-evidence assessment tool into the routine data collection processes of a service. The most prevalent risk factors were school absence, unemployment, suicide ideation, mental distress, substance use, low levels of physical activity, low health service utilisation

76 FR 49838 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-11

... Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery AGENCY: Internal... of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery. DATES: Written comments should be received on or... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service...

77 FR 15180 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-14

.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Compendium of State Performance Management Practices and Methodologies for.... Background: This information collection effort is part of a larger project to document the methodologies... public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a...

Comparing two digital consumer health television services using transaction log analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Huntington

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Use is an important characteristic in determining the success or otherwise of any digital information service, and in making comparisons between services. The source of most use data is the server logs that record user activity on a real-time and continuous basis. There is much demand from sponsors, channel owners and marketing departments for this information. The authors evaluate the performance of use metrics, including reach, in order to make comparisons between two services and discuss the methodological problems associated with making such comparisons. The two services were: Living Health, managed by Flextech and distributed by Telewest, and NHS Direct Digital, managed by Communicopia Data and distributed by Kingston Interactive Television. The data were collected over the period August 2001 to February 2002. During this period, the two sites were visited by approximately 20 000 people who recorded more than three-quarters of a million page views.

78 FR 72153 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-02

... Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery AGENCY: Internal... of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery. DATES: Written comments should be received on or...: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery. OMB Number: 1545...

The Road Towards Lean Six Sigma: Sustainable Success Factors in Service Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vouzas Fotis

2014-11-01

Full Text Available It has been widely investigated that the application of operations management techniques is not only based on technical factors, but it is mainly associated with organisational factors such as culture, previous polices and procedures, etc. A prime example of promisng operations practices is Lean Six Sigma (L6σ. The main research question for L6σ is related to its liabilities and constrains regarding its implementation. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the critical factors related to the application L6σ. The context of the analysis is service industry since it seems that it has been neglected from the literature that mainly focuses on manufacturing. The methodology was based on the qualitative exploration of three case studies from the service industry. Secondary data were collected through an analysis of companies' documents, written procedures and quality assurance policies and primary data were collected through a number of in-depth face-to-face interviews with managers and quality experts. The findings show that there are ten (10 particular factors that influence the implementation of L6σ in service organizations.

78 FR 61324 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Special Nutrition...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-03

..., Social Science Research Analyst, Office of Policy Support, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 Park... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Special Nutrition Program Operations Study (SNPOS) AGENCY: Food and...

Monetary valuation of environmental goods, services and impacts in support of the decision: methodological novelties. Seminar proceedings of December 19, 2013

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnet, Xavier; Vanoli, Andre; Nauroy, Frederic; Devaux, Jeremy; Christov, Strahil; ); Simon, Olivier; Bortzmeyer, Martin; Vergez, Antonin; Lagarenne, Christine; Ami, Dominique; Aprahamian, Frederic; Chanel, Olivier; Luchini, Stephane; Baumstarck, Luc; Auverlot, Dominique; Ducos, Geraldine; Rafenberg, Christophe; Levrel, Harold; Ben Maid, Atika; Darses, Ophelie

2014-10-01

Within the Department of the General Commissioner for Sustainable Development, the Division for Economics, Assessment and Integration of Sustainable Development is in charge of developing and promoting the economic valuation of policies, regulations, environmental goods and services, related to biodiversity, natural assets and environmental amenities. On December 19, 2013, this department held the fourth annual seminar on monetary valuation of environmental goods, services and impacts. The three first editions were respectively devoted to economic valuation methods of environmental goods and services, their implementation and the use of monetary values resulting from these methods. The 2013 seminar addressed methodological innovations and the way they contribute to decision in private sector and in policy-making process, in domains such as environmental debt, circular economy or health impact of environment. Those conferences are aimed at experts and practitioners of monetary valuation techniques as well as at users of the values produced. They provide a place to gather and facilitate dialogue between representatives from universities, government agencies and private sector involved in these issues. (authors)

A situational analysis methodology to inform comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment programming, applied in rural South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Treves-Kagan, Sarah; Naidoo, Evasen; Gilvydis, Jennifer M; Raphela, Elsie; Barnhart, Scott; Lippman, Sheri A

2017-09-01

Successful HIV prevention programming requires engaging communities in the planning process and responding to the social environmental factors that shape health and behaviour in a specific local context. We conducted two community-based situational analyses to inform a large, comprehensive HIV prevention programme in two rural districts of North West Province South Africa in 2012. The methodology includes: initial partnership building, goal setting and background research; 1 week of field work; in-field and subsequent data analysis; and community dissemination and programmatic incorporation of results. We describe the methodology and a case study of the approach in rural South Africa; assess if the methodology generated data with sufficient saturation, breadth and utility for programming purposes; and evaluate if this process successfully engaged the community. Between the two sites, 87 men and 105 women consented to in-depth interviews; 17 focus groups were conducted; and 13 health facilities and 7 NGOs were assessed. The methodology succeeded in quickly collecting high-quality data relevant to tailoring a comprehensive HIV programme and created a strong foundation for community engagement and integration with local health services. This methodology can be an accessible tool in guiding community engagement and tailoring future combination HIV prevention and care programmes.

78 FR 79660 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Child Nutrition...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-31

... Nutrition Database in support of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act. DATES: Written comments on this notice... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Child Nutrition Database AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA...

Ground System Architectures Workshop GMSEC SERVICES SUITE (GSS): an Agile Development Story

Science.gov (United States)

Ly, Vuong

2017-01-01

The GMSEC (Goddard Mission Services Evolution Center) Services Suite (GSS) is a collection of tools and software services along with a robust customizable web-based portal that enables the user to capture, monitor, report, and analyze system-wide GMSEC data. Given our plug-and-play architecture and the needs for rapid system development, we opted to follow the Scrum Agile Methodology for software development. Being one of the first few projects to implement the Agile methodology at NASA GSFC, in this presentation we will present our approaches, tools, successes, and challenges in implementing this methodology. The GMSEC architecture provides a scalable, extensible ground and flight system for existing and future missions. GMSEC comes with a robust Application Programming Interface (GMSEC API) and a core set of Java-based GMSEC components that facilitate the development of a GMSEC-based ground system. Over the past few years, we have seen an upbeat in the number of customers who are moving from a native desktop application environment to a web based environment particularly for data monitoring and analysis. We also see a need to provide separation of the business logic from the GUI display for our Java-based components and also to consolidate all the GUI displays into one interface. This combination of separation and consolidation brings immediate value to a GMSEC-based ground system through increased ease of data access via a uniform interface, built-in security measures, centralized configuration management, and ease of feature extensibility.

76 FR 19826 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-08

... calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods for assessing potential... Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery AGENCY... (Generic ICR): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery...

Application of Agent Methodology in Healthcare Information Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reem Abdalla

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a case study to describe the features and the phases of the two agent methodologies. The Gaia methodology for agent oriented analysis and design, Tropos is a detailed agent oriented software engineering methodology to explore each methodology's ability to present solutions for small problems. Also we provide an attempt to discover whether the methodology is in fact understandable and usable. In addition we were collecting and taking notes of the advantages and weaknesses of these methodologies during the study analysis for each methodology and the relationships among their models. The Guardian Angle: Patient-Centered Health Information System (GA: PCHIS is the personal system to help track, manage, and interpret the subject's health history, and give advice to both patient and provider is used as the case study throughout the paper.

Computer Aided Product Service Systems Design : Service CAD and Its integration with Life Cycle Simulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Komoto, H.

2009-01-01

Integration of product design into service design, or vice versa, is considered to bring more efficient and effective value addition. Besides EcoDesign tools and methods, a methodology to design such an integration of products and services from a systemic perspective, or product-service systems

Metaheuristics in the service industry

CERN Document Server

Geiger, Martin Josef; Sevaux, Marc; Sörensen, Kenneth

2009-01-01

This book presents novel methodological approaches and improved results of metaheuristics for modern services. It examines applications in the area of transportation and logistics, while other areas include production and financial services.

STUDIES REFERED TO SERVICES IN THE 2005-2010 ENANPADS: A BIBLIOMETRIC SURVEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Antônio Menezes Varanda

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This bibliometric survey concerns articles published in the Marketing Academic Division of the EnANPADs with the word service(s in the title from 2005 to 2010. The research selected 51 articles with the following characteristics: number of authors per article, their respective institutions of affiliation, the frequency of attendance to the events, the methodological approaches, the means and ends of the researches and the data collection tools used. Data were tabulated and processed with descriptive statistics, and results showed that services are a relevant theme in Marketing research, either with a central or peripheral position. In the conclusions, five alerts were thrown, including the imbalance of research between private and public institutions and the geographic concentration of the participating institutions. Future studies are suggested.

Strategic Planning For The Fire Service

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

jamming, think in time, think in resources, think in life cycles, and think in experiments and bets .”197 Thinking in paradoxes is the strategic...decreasing costs. Futures methodology scenario planning would allow Fire Service leaders to think through plausible “what if” scenarios before they occur...while decreasing costs. Futures methodology scenario planning would allow Fire Service leaders to think through plausible “what if” scenarios before

Supporting pre-service science teachers in developing culturally relevant pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Krajeski, Stephen

This study employed a case study methodology to investigate a near-authentic intervention program designed to support the development of culturally relevant pedagogy and its impact on pre-service science teachers' notions of culturally relevant pedagogy. The unit of analysis for this study was the discourse of pre-service science teachers enrolled in a second semester science methods course, which was the site of the intervention program. Data for this study was collected from videos of classroom observations, audio recordings of personal interviews, and artifacts created by the pre-service science teachers during the class. To determine how effective science teacher certification programs are at supporting the development of culturally relevant pedagogy without an immersion aspect, two research questions were investigated: 1) How do pre-service science teachers view and design pedagogy while participating in an intervention designed to support the development of culturally relevant pedagogy? 2) How do pre-service science teachers view the importance of culturally relevant pedagogy for supporting student learning? How do their practices in the field change these initial views?

The Netherlands Information Service Collection: An Introduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David J. Snyder

2009-11-01

Full Text Available La historia contemporánea neerlandesa sigue siendo un tema poco investigado en los Estados Unidos. Aunque los científicos sociales americanos han apreciado por mucho tiempo el valor de los estudios de neerlandeses, historiadores norteamericanos han tardado en desarrollar la historiografía contemporánea neerlandesa, debido en parte a la escasez de fuentes utiles en las colecciones públicas. Este artículo está destinado a servir como una introducción a los documentos del Servicio de Información de los Países Bajos (NIS, en neerlandés, la Regerings Voorlichtingsdienst, que ahora están abiertas al estudio, y una invitación a los académicos para incluir los Países Bajos en sus programas de investigación. Administrada por la Holland Historical Trust y ubicada en el Holland Museum of Holland, Michigan, este depósito de materiales contemporáneos en lengua neerlandesa es único en América del Norte. La colección NIS en el Museo de Holanda es un excelente punto de partida para estudiar la contemporaneidad de los Países Bajos. Una serie de acontecimientos contemporáneos se han desarrollado en Holanda, y su estudio podría enseñar a los lectores  la versión neerlandesa de estos eventos._____________ABSTRACT:Contemporary Dutch history remains an under-researched topic in the United States. Though American social scientists have long appreciated the value of Dutch studies, American historians have been slow to develop contemporary Dutch historiography due in part to a dearth of comprehensive sources in public collections. This article is meant to serve as an introduction to the papers of the Netherlands Information Service (NIS; in Dutch, the Regerings Voorlichtingsdienst, which are now open for study, and an invitation to scholars to include the contemporary Netherlands in their research agendas. Held by the Holland Historical Trust and housed in the Holland Museum of Holland, Michigan, this repository of contemporary Dutch materials

78 FR 23755 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-22

... justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods for assessing potential non-response... Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service... Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery '' for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U...

76 FR 15027 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-18

... clustering), the precision requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the...; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery... Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' to OMB for approval under...

78 FR 78985 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-27

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA... options (including faith-based programmatic options), and (3) increase substance abuse treatment capacity...

77 FR 76059 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-26

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA... support of combat operations (e.g. Iraq or Afghanistan) (b) Was physically injured during combat...

Breast cancer services in Vietnam: a scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Chris; Minh, Luu Ngoc; Anh, Tran Tuan; Ngan, Tran Thu; Tuan, Ngo Tri; Giang, Kim Bao; Hoat, Luu Ngoc; Lohfeld, Lynne; Donnelly, Michael; Van Minh, Hoang; Murray, Liam

2018-01-01

Breast cancer incidence has been increasing consistently in Vietnam. Thus far, there have been no analytical reviews of research produced within this area. We sought to analyse the nature andextent of empirical studies about breast cancer in Vietnam, identifying areas for future research and systemsstrengthening. We undertook a scoping study using a five-stage framework to review published and grey literature in English and Vietnamese on breast cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment. We focused specifically on research discussing the health system and service provision. Our results show that breast cancer screening is limited, with no permanent or integrated national screening activities. There is a lack of information on screening processes and on the integration of screening services with other areas of the health system. Treatment is largely centralised, and across all services there is a lack of evaluation and data collection that would be informative for recommendations seeking to improve accessibility and quality of breast cancer services. This paper is the first scoping review of breast cancer services in Vietnam. It outlines areas for future focus for policy makers and researchers with the objective of strengthening service provision to women with breast cancer across the country while also providing a methodological example for how to conduct a collaborative scoping review.

Evaluating health service quality: using importance performance analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Izadi, Azar; Jahani, Younes; Rafiei, Sima; Masoud, Ali; Vali, Leila

2017-08-14

Purpose Measuring healthcare service quality provides an objective guide for managers and policy makers to improve their services and patient satisfaction. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to measure service quality provided to surgical and medical inpatients at Kerman Medical Sciences University (KUMS) in 2015. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive-analytic study, using a cross-sectional method in the KUMS training hospitals, was implemented between October 2 and March 15, 2015. Using stratified random sampling, 268 patients were selected. Data were collected using an importance-performance analysis (IPA) questionnaire, which measures current performance and determines each item's importance from the patients' perspectives. These data indicate overall satisfaction and appropriate practical strategies for managers to plan accordingly. Findings Findings revealed a significant gap between service importance and performance. From the patients' viewpoint, tangibility was the highest priority (mean=3.54), while reliability was given the highest performance (mean=3.02). The least important and lowest performance level was social accountability (mean=1.91 and 1.98, respectively). Practical implications Healthcare managers should focus on patient viewpoints and apply patient comments to solve problems, improve service quality and patient satisfaction. Originality/value The authors applied an IPA questionnaire to measure service quality provided to surgical and medical ward patients. This method identifies and corrects service quality shortcomings and improving service recipient perceptions.

76 FR 20967 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-14

... requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods... Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery AGENCY: U... Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' to OMB for approval under...

78 FR 44099 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-23

... requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods... Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service... Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S...

Nuclear power plant simulation facility evaluation methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haas, P.M.; Carter, R.J.; Laughery, K.R. Jr.

1985-01-01

A methodology for evaluation of nuclear power plant simulation facilities with regard to their acceptability for use in the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) operator licensing exam is described. The evaluation is based primarily on simulator fidelity, but incorporates some aspects of direct operator/trainee performance measurement. The panel presentation and paper discuss data requirements, data collection, data analysis and criteria for conclusions regarding the fidelity evaluation, and summarize the proposed use of direct performance measurment. While field testing and refinement of the methodology are recommended, this initial effort provides a firm basis for NRC to fully develop the necessary methodology

DISPARITIES BETWEEN SERVICES DEMANDED AND SERVICES RECEIVED IN TAIWANESE RESTAURANTS

OpenAIRE

Jui-Kuei Chen; I-Shuo Chen

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the service quality performance of Taiwanese foreign restaurants. After a review of the literature on service quality and discussions with managers of Taiwanese foreign restaurants, we decided to use the DINERSERV questionnaire. The methodology, an Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), is used to categorize whole service items into four dimensions: 1) keep up the good work, 2) possible overkill, 3) low priority, and 4) concentrate here, all in accordance ...

RAMS data collection under Arctic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barabadi, Abbas; Tobias Gudmestad, Ove; Barabady, Javad

2015-01-01

Reliability, availability, maintainability and supportability analysis is an important step in the design and operation of production processes and technology. Historical data such as time between failures and time to repairs play an important role in such analysis. The data must reflect the conditions that equipment has experienced during its operating time. To have a precise understanding of the conditions experienced, all influence factors on the failure and repair processes of a production facility in Arctic environment need to be identified and collected in the database. However, there is a lack of attention to collect the effect of influence factors in the reliability, availability, maintainability and supportability database. Hence, the aim of this paper is to discuss the challenges of the available methods of data collection and suggest a methodology for data collection considering the effect of environmental conditions. Application of the methodology will make the historical RAMS data of a system more applicable and useful for the design and operation of the system in different types of operational environments. - Highlights: • The challenges related to use of the available RAMS data is discussed. • It is important to collect information about operational condition in RAMS data. • A methodology for RAMS data collection considering environment condition is suggested. • Information about influence factors will make the result of RAMS analysis more applicable

76 FR 35002 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-15

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA... that apply): [cir] Deployed in support of Combat Operations (e.g. Iraq or Afghanistan) [cir] Was...

75 FR 30030 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-28

... financial incentives to improve the quality of care in nursing homes. The main purpose of the NHVBP data... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [Document... Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In...

76 FR 53475 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-26

... forms for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS' Web Site address at http...) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use... Collection: National Balancing Indicators Project (NBIP) Direct Service Workforce Data Collection Effort; Use...

Collective Management of Reference Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Comer, Cynthia H.; And Others

1988-01-01

Describes a one-year experiment with collective management--i.e., management in which decision-making rests with the department as a whole--in the Oberlin College Library reference department. The planning process, problems, and advantages and disadvantages of this style of management are discussed. Several questions are raised about the…

Developing Collections With Get It Now: A Pilot Project for a Hybrid Collection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendler, Gail Y; Gudenas, Jean

2016-01-01

As health sciences libraries transition from print to online journal collections that require significant institutional funding, librarians are investigating the use of on demand services in order to meet customer need and contain costs. In 2014 a three-year pilot project to determine if unmediated access to the Copyright Clearance Center's Get It Now service would expand access to needed content and provide usage data to inform collections decision making. The service provides rapid, automated delivery of unsubscribed, high-quality journal articles directly to the customer. The three-year pilot project aims to compare the cost of Get It Now to the traditional subscription model to learn if the service is a cost-effective and sustainable alternative that improves customer satisfaction and that can transform collection development with a hybrid model for journal acquisitions.

Neighborhood collective efficacy, parental spanking, and subsequent risk of household child protective services involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Julie; Grogan-Kaylor, Andrew; Klein, Sacha

2018-06-01

Children exposed to negative neighborhood conditions and parental spanking are at higher risk of experiencing maltreatment. We conducted prospective analyses of secondary data to determine the effects of neighborhood collective efficacy and parental spanking on household Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement, and whether spanking mediates the relationship between neighborhood collective efficacy and CPS involvement. The sample (N = 2,267) was drawn from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a stratified random sample of 4,789 births between 1998-2000 in 20 large U.S. cities. Logistic regression models were employed to test the effects of neighborhood collective efficacy and spanking at child age 3 on mother's report of CPS contact during the subsequent two years. The product-of-coefficient approach was used to test the mediation hypothesis. One aspect of neighborhood collective efficacy (i.e., Social Cohesion/Trust) is associated with lower odds of CPS involvement (OR = .80, 95% CI 0.670-0.951) after controlling for Informal Social Control, parental spanking, and the covariates. Parental spanking predicts increased odds of CPS involvement during the next two years (OR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.001-1.898), net of neighborhood collective efficacy and the covariates. The mediation hypothesis is not supported. Promoting both cohesive and trusting relationships between neighbors and non-physical discipline practices is likely to reduce the incidence of household CPS involvement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing University Research Microdata Collections

Science.gov (United States)

Woolfrey, Lynn; Fry, Jane

2015-01-01

This article examines the management of microdata collections in a university context. It is a cross-country analysis: Collection management at data services in Canada and South Africa are considered. The case studies are of two university sub-contexts: One collection is located in a library; the other at a Faculty-based Data Service. Stages in…

Practical Aspects of Research Monitoring: Methodological and Functional Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A A Onosov

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The article describes the experience of designing, testing and implementing the National system of monitoring the quality of meteorological services in Russia. Within the framework of this project a large-scale research program was carried out aimed to develop the conception, methodology, research tools and design of customer assessment of the Roshydromet services.

75 FR 12241 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Alzheimer's...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-15

... Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Alzheimer's Disease Supportive Services Program... requirements relating to the Alzheimer's Disease Supportive Services Program. DATES: Submit written or... other forms of information technology. The Alzheimer's Disease Supportive Services Program (ADSSP) is...

Evaluating the usability of a single UK community acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation service website: implications for research methodology and website design.

Science.gov (United States)

Newby, Gavin; Groom, Christina

2010-04-01

Information provision is an important resource for those living with acquired brain injury (ABI) and their families. Web-based health information services are now common additions to health service provision. Ideally, they should be easy to use and provide useful, relevant and accurate information. ABI injuries do not affect individuals in the same way, and survivors can have a wide range of abilities and impairments. Therefore, any informational resource intended for this group should take account of their needs and help to compensate for their limitations. This pilot study recruited a group of individuals with ABI (of a median Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale rating of "lower moderate disability") who were clients of a UK National Health Service rehabilitation service and asked them to assess a specialised website provided by that service and hosted by their employing Primary Care Trust organisation. Participants completed a practical task and then gave their opinions on various aspects of website design, and content. They were also asked to suggest improvements and recommend additions. Overall the results were favourable. However, improvements in the legibility, layout and writing style were identified. There were also requests to add more information on the existing topics and add additional topics. The discussion also evaluates the utility of the methodology and the implications of the results for others considering constructing their own website.

“Just-in-Time” Unmediated Document Delivery Service Provides Fast Delivery, Helps Identify Collection Gaps, but Incurs Extra Costs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heather MacDonald

2017-06-01

Full Text Available A Review of: Chan, E. K., Mune, C., Wang, Y., & Kendall, S. L. (2016. Three years of unmediated document delivery: An analysis and consideration of collection development priorities. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 35(1, 42-51. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2016.1117288 Abstract Objective – Examine the collection development opportunities and challenges of an unmediated document delivery service. Design – Case study. Setting – Large comprehensive public university in the United States of America. Subjects – 11,981 document delivery requests. Methods – This library implemented Copyright Clearance Center’s Get It Now (CCC-GiN service in November 2011 to supplement existing holdings, provide access to embargoed content and help support two new programs. The CCC-GiN service was offered in addition to regular ILL service. Statistical analysis was done using usage data collected for the academic years 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 (excluding June and July. Usage data included: order date and time, fulfillment date and time, publication name, publication date, article name, article author, publisher name, cost, delivery e-mail address. Taylor and Francis publications were added to the CCC-GiN service in November of 2014. Main Results – The average yearly cost of titles with the largest number of CCC-GiN requests was compared to the annual subscription cost of the same titles. If the annual subscription cost was less than the average yearly cost of CCC-GiN requests, the library purchased a subscription. Patrons ordered older journal content through CCC-GiN requests. This suggested that backfile subscriptions could be cost effective means of providing content. The authors are in the process of analyzing what historical journal content should be purchased. The addition of Taylor and Francis publications resulted in an increase in the average cost per article. Taylor and Francis publications were popular with

75 FR 62403 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-08

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA..., Technology and Operations. [FR Doc. 2010-25439 Filed 10-7-10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4162-20-P ...

76 FR 12980 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-09

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration... proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA..., Technology and Operations. [FR Doc. 2011-5313 Filed 3-8-11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4162-20-P ...

75 FR 34740 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-18

... satisfaction of the customer service that the DMOA provides to Medicare beneficiaries and their representatives... alternative approach to payment under traditional Medicare. The episode of care is defined as the bundle of... Collection: Beneficiary Customer Service Feedback Survey; Use: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...

Review and evaluation of paleohydrologic methodologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Foley, M.G.; Zimmerman, D.A.; Doesburg, J.M.; Thorne, P.D.

1982-12-01

A literature review was conducted to identify methodologies that could be used to interpret paleohydrologic environments. Paleohydrology is the study of past hydrologic systems or of the past behavior of an existing hydrologic system. The purpose of the review was to evaluate how well these methodologies could be applied to the siting of low-level radioactive waste facilities. The computer literature search queried five bibliographical data bases containing over five million citations of technical journals, books, conference papers, and reports. Two data-base searches (United States Geological Survey - USGS) and a manual search were also conducted. The methodologies were examined for data requirements and sensitivity limits. Paleohydrologic interpretations are uncertain because of the effects of time on hydrologic and geologic systems and because of the complexity of fluvial systems. Paleoflow determinations appear in many cases to be order-of-magnitude estimates. However, the methodologies identified in this report mitigate this uncertainty when used collectively as well as independently. That is, the data from individual methodologies can be compared or combined to corroborate hydrologic predictions. In this manner, paleohydrologic methodologies are viable tools to assist in evaluating the likely future hydrology of low-level radioactive waste sites.

Review and evaluation of paleohydrologic methodologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foley, M.G.; Zimmerman, D.A.; Doesburg, J.M.; Thorne, P.D.

1982-12-01

A literature review was conducted to identify methodologies that could be used to interpret paleohydrologic environments. Paleohydrology is the study of past hydrologic systems or of the past behavior of an existing hydrologic system. The purpose of the review was to evaluate how well these methodologies could be applied to the siting of low-level radioactive waste facilities. The computer literature search queried five bibliographical data bases containing over five million citations of technical journals, books, conference papers, and reports. Two data-base searches (United States Geological Survey - USGS) and a manual search were also conducted. The methodologies were examined for data requirements and sensitivity limits. Paleohydrologic interpretations are uncertain because of the effects of time on hydrologic and geologic systems and because of the complexity of fluvial systems. Paleoflow determinations appear in many cases to be order-of-magnitude estimates. However, the methodologies identified in this report mitigate this uncertainty when used collectively as well as independently. That is, the data from individual methodologies can be compared or combined to corroborate hydrologic predictions. In this manner, paleohydrologic methodologies are viable tools to assist in evaluating the likely future hydrology of low-level radioactive waste sites

Applying Transformative Service Design to Develop Brand Community Service in Women, Children and Infants Retailing

OpenAIRE

Shian Wan; Yi-Chang Wang; Yu-Chien Lin

2016-01-01

This research discussed the various theories of service design, the importance of service design methodology, and the development of transformative service design framework. In this study, transformative service design is applied while building a new brand community service for women, children and infants retailing business. The goal is to enhance the brand recognition and customer loyalty, effectively increase the brand community engagement by embedding the brand community in social network ...

76 FR 13019 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-09

... requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods... Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery AGENCY: Department of...): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery '' to OMB for...

76 FR 37825 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-28

... requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods... Activities; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery AGENCY: U...): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery '' to OMB for...

77 FR 74191 - Information Collection; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; General Services Administration...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-13

... target population to which generalizations will be made, the sampling frame, the sample design (including....regulations.gov . Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching for ``Information Collection... information collections that are designed to yield reliably actionable results, such as monitoring trends over...

Assessing importance and satisfaction judgments of intermodal work commuters with electronic survey methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-01

Recent advances in multivariate methodology provide an opportunity to further the assessment of service offerings in public transportation for work commuting. We offer methodologies that are alternative to direct rating scale and have advantages in t...

A Methodological Approach to Encourage the Service-Oriented Learning Systems Development

Science.gov (United States)

Diez, David; Malizia, Alessio; Aedo, Ignacio; Diaz, Paloma; Fernandez, Camino; Dodero, Juan-Manuel

2009-01-01

The basic idea of service-oriented learning is that a learning environment should be conceived as a set of independent units of learning packaged as learning services. The design, development and deployment of a learning system based on integrating different learning services needs both a technological platform to support the system as well as a…

Methodological advances in unit cost calculation of psychiatric residential care in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Karen; Sanchez, Eduardo; Salvador-Carulla, Luis

2008-06-01

The care of the severe mentally ill who need intensive support for their daily living (dependent persons), accounts for an increasingly large proportion of public expenditure in many European countries. The main aim of this study was the design and implementation of solid methodology to calculate unit costs of different types of care. To date, methodologies used in Spain have produced inaccurate figures, suggesting few variations in patient consumption of the same service. An adaptation of the Activity-Based-Costing methodology was applied in Navarre, a region in the North of Spain, as a pilot project for the public mental health services. A unit cost per care process was obtained for all levels of care considered in each service during 2005. The European Service Mapping Schedule (ESMS) codes were used to classify the services for later comparisons. Finally, in order to avoid problems of asymmetric cost distribution, a simple Bayesian model was used. As an illustration, we report the results obtained for long-term residential care and note that there are important variations between unit costs when considering different levels of care. Considering three levels of care (Level 1-low, Level 2-medium and Level 3-intensive), the cost per bed in Level 3 was 10% higher than that of Level 2. The results obtained using the cost methodology described provide more useful information than those using conventional methods, although its implementation requires much time to compile the necessary information during the initial stages and the collaboration of staff and managers working in the services. However, in some services, if no important variations exist in patient care, another method would be advisable, although our system provides very useful information about patterns of care from a clinical point of view. Detailed work is required at the beginning of the implementation in order to avoid the calculation of distorted figures and to improve the levels of decision making

Applying Statistical Process Quality Control Methodology to Educational Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Blumberg, Carol Joyce

A subset of Statistical Process Control (SPC) methodology known as Control Charting is introduced. SPC methodology is a collection of graphical and inferential statistics techniques used to study the progress of phenomena over time. The types of control charts covered are the null X (mean), R (Range), X (individual observations), MR (moving…

High Collection Nonimaging Optics

Science.gov (United States)

Winston, Roland

1989-07-01

Nonimaging optics departs from the methods of traditional optical design to develop instead techniques for maximizing the collecting power of concentrating elements and systems. Designs which exceed the concentration attainable with focusing techniques by factors of four or more and approach the theoretical limit are possible (ideal concentrators). The methodology for designing high collection nonirnaging systems is described.

Service Learning and Its Influenced to Pre-Service Teachers: Social Responsibility and Self-Efficacy Study

Science.gov (United States)

Prasertsang, Parichart; Nuangchalerm, Prasart; Pumipuntu, Chaloey

2013-01-01

The purpose of the research was to study pre-service teachers on social responsibility and self-efficacy through service learning. The mixed methodology included two major procedures (i) the actual use of a developed service learning instructional model by means of action research principles and qualitative research and (ii) the study into the…

Methodology for classification of commercial edification and of service according to the regulation for voluntary tagging of the energy efficiency level of commercial, services and public buildings - economic evaluation of the simulated and classified models; Metodologia para classificacao de edificacao comercial e de servico conforme a regulamentacao para etiquetagem voluntaria do nivel de eficiencia energetica de edificios comerciais, de servicos e publicos - avaliacao economica dos modelos simulados e classificados

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baptista, Norma do Nascimento; Rovere, Emilio Lebre La [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-Graduacao de Engenharia (COPPE). Programa de Planejamento Energetico], e-mail: normabaptista@ppe.ufrj.br, e-mail: emilio@ppe.ufrj.br

2008-07-01

This article presents the methodology developed for determination of energy performance and the classification in accordance with the Regulation for the Voluntary Tagging of the Efficiency Level of commercial, services and public edifications. The methodology applies to commercial and service edification, specifically for offices and schools purposes.

76 FR 58237 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request: Supplemental...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-20

.... Abstract: In June 2003, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) deployed an interactive web-based pre... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Agency Information Collection Activities...: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction...

Technology scan for electronic toll collection.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-06-01

The purpose of this project was to identify and assess available technologies and methodologies for electronic toll collection (ETC) and to develop recommendations for the best way(s) to implement toll collection in the Louisville metropolitan area. ...

Three-Dimensional Extension of a Digital Library Service System

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Long

2010-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to provide an overall methodology and case study for the innovation and extension of a digital library, especially the service system. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the three-dimensional structure theory of the information service industry, this paper combines a comprehensive analysis with the practical experiences…

75 FR 78703 - Commission Information Collection Activities, Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Submitted for...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-16

... are accountings of the cost of (1) Research, development, and deployment expenditures; (2) annual... the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and...

Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a useful methodological framework for the Delphi technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Guzys

2015-05-01

Full Text Available In this article we aim to demonstrate how Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics may provide a sound methodological framework for researchers using the Delphi Technique (Delphi in studies exploring health and well-being. Reporting of the use of Delphi in health and well-being research is increasing, but less attention has been given to covering its methodological underpinnings. In Delphi, a structured anonymous conversation between participants is facilitated, via an iterative survey process. Participants are specifically selected for their knowledge and experience with the topic of interest. The purpose of structuring conversation in this manner is to cultivate collective opinion and highlight areas of disagreement, using a process that minimizes the influence of group dynamics. The underlying premise is that the opinion of a collective is more useful than that of an individual. In designing our study into health literacy, Delphi aligned well with our research focus and would enable us to capture collective views. However, we were interested in the methodology that would inform our study. As researchers, we believe that methodology provides the framework and principles for a study and is integral to research integrity. In assessing the suitability of Delphi for our research purpose, we found little information about underpinning methodology. The absence of a universally recognized or consistent methodology associated with Delphi was highlighted through a scoping review we undertook to assist us in our methodological thinking. This led us to consider alternative methodologies, which might be congruent with the key principles of Delphi. We identified Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a methodology that could provide a supportive framework and principles. We suggest that this methodology may be useful in health and well-being studies utilizing the Delphi method.

Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a useful methodological framework for the Delphi technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzys, Diana; Dickson-Swift, Virginia; Kenny, Amanda; Threlkeld, Guinever

2015-01-01

In this article we aim to demonstrate how Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics may provide a sound methodological framework for researchers using the Delphi Technique (Delphi) in studies exploring health and well-being. Reporting of the use of Delphi in health and well-being research is increasing, but less attention has been given to covering its methodological underpinnings. In Delphi, a structured anonymous conversation between participants is facilitated, via an iterative survey process. Participants are specifically selected for their knowledge and experience with the topic of interest. The purpose of structuring conversation in this manner is to cultivate collective opinion and highlight areas of disagreement, using a process that minimizes the influence of group dynamics. The underlying premise is that the opinion of a collective is more useful than that of an individual. In designing our study into health literacy, Delphi aligned well with our research focus and would enable us to capture collective views. However, we were interested in the methodology that would inform our study. As researchers, we believe that methodology provides the framework and principles for a study and is integral to research integrity. In assessing the suitability of Delphi for our research purpose, we found little information about underpinning methodology. The absence of a universally recognized or consistent methodology associated with Delphi was highlighted through a scoping review we undertook to assist us in our methodological thinking. This led us to consider alternative methodologies, which might be congruent with the key principles of Delphi. We identified Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a methodology that could provide a supportive framework and principles. We suggest that this methodology may be useful in health and well-being studies utilizing the Delphi method.

Non-conventional technologies for data collection in Brazilian dissertations and theses.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvador, Pétala Tuani Candido de Oliveira; Rodrigues, Cláudia Cristiane Filgueira Martins; de Lima, Kálya Yasmine Nunes; Alves, Kisna Yasmin Andrade; Santos, Viviane Euzébia Pereira

2015-01-01

to characterize non-conventional technologies used for data collection of dissertations and theses available in the Catalog of Theses and Dissertations (CEPEn) of the Brazilian Nursing Association (ABEn). this is a documentary research, whose data were collected in the catalogs of theses and dissertations available at the ABEn website, from Volumes XIX to XXI. The indicators collected were: academic level; educational institution; year; qualification of the author; setting; non-conventional technology used; type of technology; association with conventional techniques; methodological design; benefits and methodological limitations. from a total of 6346 studies, only 121 (1.91%) used non-conventional technologies for data collection, representing the fi nal sample of the study. it is concluded that Brazilian Nursing researches still need methodological innovations for data collection.

Development of a Web-based tool to collect and display water system customer service areas for public health action.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Michelle; Wolff, Craig; Collins, Natalie; Guo, Liang; Meltzer, Dan; English, Paul

2015-01-01

Significant illness is associated with biological contaminants in drinking water, but little is known about health effects from low levels of chemical contamination in drinking water. To examine these effects in epidemiological studies, the sources of drinking water of study populations need to be known. The California Environmental Health Tracking Program developed an online application that would collect data on the geographic location of public water system (PWS) customer service areas in California, which then could be linked to demographic and drinking water quality data. We deployed the Water Boundary Tool (WBT), a Web-based geospatial crowdsourcing application that can manage customer service boundary data for each PWS in California and can track changes over time. We also conducted a needs assessment for expansion to other states. The WBT was designed for water system operators, local and state regulatory agencies, and government entities. Since its public launch in 2012, the WBT has collected service area boundaries for about 2300 individual PWS, serving more than 90% of the California population. Results of the needs assessment suggest interest and utility for deploying such a tool among states lacking statewide PWS service area boundary data. Although the WBT data set is incomplete, it has already been used for a variety of applications, including fulfilling legislatively mandated reporting requirements and linking customer service areas to drinking water quality data to better understand local water quality issues. Development of this tool holds promise to assist with outbreak investigations and prevention, environmental health monitoring, and emergency preparedness and response.

DEBT COLLECTION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1996: HHS's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Faces Challenges to Fully Implement Certain Key Provisions

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2002-01-01

This report provides additional detail on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)2 progress in implementing the debt-referral requirements of DCIA to collect delinquent Medicare debts and includes several recommendations...

KEY FACTORS IN MARKETING FOCUSED SERVICES BUSINESSES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doris Yohanna Martínez Castrillón

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This article aims to identify the key success factors in the marketing area and describe them as managerial allies for companies that wish to position themselves in the market under a good sustainable performance , for it has been consulted theoretical references of Marketing as a management partner with collection and integration of data. Methodologically, it is located within the type of descriptive research field, with a design of transactional non-experimental, with an intentional non-probabilistic stratified sample of four reporting units. The findings established fifteen (15 points of influence called "key success factors (FCE in the area of marketing, and managerial allies of service companies in the security, surveillance and protection sector in industrial, commercial and residential sectors. Finally, it is intended that the actions of marketing service companies should focus to the welfare of both the organization, such as users, both in the environment, and economic, social and technological, characterized by ethics, sustainable development and transparency to respond appropriately.

App Studies : Platform Rules and Methodological Challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gerlitz, C.; Helmond, A.; van der Vlist, F.; Weltevrede, E.; De Groote, S.; Majmundar, P.

2016-01-01

The panel engages with conceptual and methodological challenges within a specific area of ‘internet rules’, namely the space of mobile apps. Whereas the web was set out to function as a ‘generative’ and open technology facilitating the production of unanticipated services and applications, the

Service life prediction and cementitious composites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stoklund Larsen, E.

The present Ph.D.thesis describes and discusses the applicability of a systematic methodology recommended by CIB W80/RILEM-PSL for sevice life prediction. The report describes the most important inherent and environmental factors affecting the service life of structures of cementitious composites....... On the basis of this discription of factors and experience from a test programme described in SBI Report 222, Service life prediction and fibre reinforced cementitious composites, the applicabillity of the CIB/RILEM methodology is discussed....

NLM Digital Collections

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The National Library of Medicine's (NLM) Digital Collections offers a search-based Web service that provides access to the Dublin Core metadata and full-text OCR of...

Functional principles of registry-based service discovery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sundramoorthy, V.; Tan, C.; Hartel, P.H.; Hartog, den J.I.; Scholten, J.

2005-01-01

As Service Discovery Protocols (SDP) are becoming increasingly important for ubiquitous computing, they must behave according to predefined principles. We present the functional Principles of Service Discovery for robust, registry-based service discovery. A methodology to guarantee adherence to

76 FR 24920 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-03

... precision requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response... Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service... Information Collection Request (Generic ICR): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback...

Web survey methodology

CERN Document Server

Callegaro, Mario; Vehovar, Asja

2015-01-01

Web Survey Methodology guides the reader through the past fifteen years of research in web survey methodology. It both provides practical guidance on the latest techniques for collecting valid and reliable data and offers a comprehensive overview of research issues. Core topics from preparation to questionnaire design, recruitment testing to analysis and survey software are all covered in a systematic and insightful way. The reader will be exposed to key concepts and key findings in the literature, covering measurement, non-response, adjustments, paradata, and cost issues. The book also discusses the hottest research topics in survey research today, such as internet panels, virtual interviewing, mobile surveys and the integration with passive measurements, e-social sciences, mixed modes and business intelligence. The book is intended for students, practitioners, and researchers in fields such as survey and market research, psychological research, official statistics and customer satisfaction research.

78 FR 77095 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Form FNS-648, WIC...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-20

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Form FNS-648, WIC Local Agency Directory Report AGENCY: Food and... continuity of program services to migrant and other transient participants. It is also used as a mailing list...

76 FR 55725 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-08

... requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods... Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery '' to OMB for approval under the Paperwork... Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery. Background: The information...

Monitoring Accessibility Services in Digital Television

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Utray

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses methodology and tools applied to the monitoring of accessibility services in digital television at a time when the principles of accessibility and design are being considered in all new audiovisual media communication services. The main objective of this research is to measure the quality and quantity of existing accessibility services offered by digital terrestrial television (DTT. The preliminary results, presented here, offer the development of a prototype for automatic monitoring and a methodology for obtaining quality measurements, along with the conclusions drawn by initial studies carried out in Spain. The recent approval of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities gives special relevance to this research because it provides valuable guidelines to help set the priorities to improve services currently available to users.

31 CFR 281.3 - Collections.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Collections. 281.3 Section 281.3 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) FISCAL SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE FOREIGN EXCHANGE OPERATIONS § 281.3 Collections...

Socio-economic inequalities in health services utilization: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjbar Ezzatabadi, Mohammad; Khosravi, Ameneh; Bahrami, Mohammad Amin; Rafiei, Sima

2018-02-12

Purpose Developing country workers mainly face important challenges when examining equality in health services utilization among the population and identifying influential factors. The purpose of this paper us to: understand health service use among households with different socio-economic status in Isfahan province; and to investigate probable inequality determinants in service utilization. Design/methodology/approach Almost 1,040 households living in Isfahan province participated in this cross-sectional study in 2013. Data were collected by a questionnaire with three sections: demographic characteristics; socio-economic status; and health services utilization. The concentration index was applied to measure inequality. Analysts used STATA 11. Findings Economic status, educational level, insurance coverage and household gender were the most influential factors on health services utilization. Those with a high socio-economic level were more likely to demand and use such services; although self-medication patterns showed an opposite trend. Practical implications Female-headed families face with more difficulties in access to basic human needs including health. Supportive policies are needed to meet their demands. Originality/value The authors used principle component analysis to assess households' economic situation, which reduced the variables into a single index.

76 FR 2395 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Customer/Partner...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-13

... comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on voluntary customer satisfaction...] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Customer/Partner Service... collection of information they conduct or sponsor. ``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502...

76 FR 25693 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-05

... requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods... Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service... Collection Request (Generic ICR): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency...

75 FR 57790 - Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-22

... technology, and (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with... an entity has with the FCC. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 requires that those entities... authorization to operate a license wireless radio service. This include Public Mobile Services, Personal...

Enhanced Methodologies to Enumerate Persons Experiencing Homelessness in a Large Urban Area.

Science.gov (United States)

Troisi, Catherine L; D'Andrea, Ritalinda; Grier, Gary; Williams, Stephen

2015-10-01

Homelessness is a public health problem, and persons experiencing homelessness are a vulnerable population. Estimates of the number of persons experiencing homelessness inform funding allocations and services planning and directly determine the ability of a community to intervene effectively in homelessness. The point-in-time (PIT) count presents a logistical problem in large urban areas, particularly those covering a vast geographical area. Working together, academia, local government, and community organizations improved the methodology for the count. Specific enhancements include use of incident command system (ICS), increased number of staging areas/teams, specialized outreach and Special Weapons and Tactics teams, and day-after surveying to collect demographic information. This collaboration and enhanced methodology resulted in a more accurate estimate of the number of persons experiencing homelessness and allowed comparison of findings for 4 years. While initial results showed an increase due to improved counting, the number of persons experiencing homelessness counted for the subsequent years showed significant decrease during the same time period as a "housing first" campaign was implemented. The collaboration also built capacity in each sector: The health department used ICS as a training opportunity; the academics enhanced their community health efforts; the service sector was taught and implemented more rigorous quantitative methods; and the community was exposed to public health as a pragmatic and effective discipline. Improvements made to increase the reliability of the PIT count can be adapted for use in other jurisdictions, leading to improved counts and better evaluation of progress in ending homelessness. © The Author(s) 2015.

76 FR 33328 - Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-08

... reconcile fee payments for a Request for Civil Surgeon Designation, Collection of Biometric Services Fees... technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic...

The universal service in the future of network-type industries: telecommunications, electricity, postal services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bremond, Celine Clelia

2003-01-01

The notion of universal service emerged in the European regulation of the telecommunications sector, and can be applied to all network-type industries. Public monopolies have been put into question again. The introduction of deregulation and competitiveness were expected to improve the service provided to the end consumer, but this deregulation has been also put into question again for matters of universality and equity. Then the issue of financing of these services emerges. The aim of this research thesis is therefore to identify which funding modes can be optimal, and to identify a general methodology for all network-type industries. In the first part of this research thesis, the author studies the cost of universal service obligations. She explains the general methodology of calculation of this cost, and reports this calculation while taking indirect benefits of the operator into account. In a second part, she studies the modalities of financing thus calculated cost by describing the different possible modalities, their benefits and drawbacks, and by presenting a comparison between these methodologies according to three criteria: those set by the European Commission, welfare, and applicability. For these different topics, the author takes all experiments and recent developments into account. These experiments and developments are noticed in different countries: USA, Australia, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Italy, France

78 FR 52194 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection Renewal; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-22

...: The Interagency Statement on Sound Practices Concerning Complex Structured Finance Transactions... other risks associated with complex structured finance transactions. 3. Title: Reverse Mortgage Products... the information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways...

A Research Agenda for Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA): Maintenance and Evolution of Service-Oriented Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

service consumers, and infrastructure. Techniques from any iterative and incremental software development methodology followed by the organiza- tion... Service -Oriented Architecture Environment (CMU/SEI-2008-TN-008). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, 2008. http://www.sei.cmu.edu...Integrating Legacy Software into a Service Oriented Architecture.” Proceedings of the 10th European Conference on Software Maintenance (CSMR 2006). Bari

An investigation into creative design methodologies for textiles and fashion

Science.gov (United States)

Gault, Alison

2017-10-01

Understanding market intelligence, trends, influences and personal approaches are essential tools for design students to develop their ideas in textiles and fashion. Identifying different personal approaches including, visual, process-led or concept by employing creative methodologies are key to developing a brief. A series of ideas or themes start to emerge and through the design process serve to underpin and inform an entire collection. These investigations ensure that the design collections are able to produce a diverse range of outcomes. Following key structures and coherent stages in the design process creates authentic collections in textiles and fashion. A range of undergraduate students presented their design portfolios (180) and the methodologies employed were mapped against success at module level, industry response and graduate employment.

METHODOLOGY OF DETERMINATION OF QUALITY INDEX OF MAINTENANCE SERVICE SYSTEM OF POWER EQUIPMENT OF TRACTION SUBSTATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O.O. Matusevych

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The purpose of this paper is development of methodology for definition of a quality system of maintenance and repair (M and P power equipment of traction substations (TS of electrified railways operating under conditions of uncertainty based on expert information. Methodology. The basic tenets of the theory of fuzzy sets and marks, linguistic and interval estimates of experts were applied to solve this problem. Results. Analysis of the existing diversity of approaches to development of modern methods of improvement of M and P allows us to conclude that the improvement in the quality of the system is achieved by solving individual problems increase the operational reliability of power equipment of traction substations in the following main interrelated areas. There are technical, economic and organizational. The basis of the quality evaluation system is initial data and expertise developed version of the document formalized quality evaluation of electrical equipment of traction substations by experts. The choice of determining the level of Quality service system based on the marks, linguistic and interval estimates of experts, which are reflected in quantitative and / or qualitative form was done. The possible options for expert data presentation and their corresponding quantitative methods of calculating the integral index of quality improvement system maintenance and P of traction substations were described. The methodology and the method of assessing the quality of system maintenance and P of TS allows quickly respond to changing operating conditions of power equipment of traction substations, and to determine the most effective strategies for maintenance of electrical and P TS under conditions of uncertainty functioning distance electricity. Originality. The method of a systematic approach to improve the quality of the system maintenance and P of power equipment of traction substation under conditions of uncertainty based on expert

Changed Role of Service Sector And Enhanced Service Tax Revenue An Introspection

OpenAIRE

Balachandran, Dr. V; Malini, K Hema

2013-01-01

The present paper attempts to evaluate the performance of service tax in India in terms of revenue generation, assessee base and its share in the total tax kitty of India. In addition, the relative position of the share of service sector and service tax in relation to GDP and total tax revenue of the country has also analyzed. The analysis of data reveals that service tax in India is progressing faster in terms of revenue collection, assesse base and even service tax collection per assesse an...

78 FR 40729 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request: Generic Clearance...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-08

... precision requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response... Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery AGENCY: Washington Headquarters Service (WHS), DOD. ACTION: 30... (Generic ICR): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery...

Human Rights and Health Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skitsou, Alexandra; Bekos, Christos; Charalambous, George

2016-01-01

Background: It has been observed that health services provided to certain patients in Cyprus do not fully meet their human rights. Objective: This study was conducted to identify the main shortcomings of the Health System in Cyprus. Methodology: The relevant administrative decisions of the Ombuds......Background: It has been observed that health services provided to certain patients in Cyprus do not fully meet their human rights. Objective: This study was conducted to identify the main shortcomings of the Health System in Cyprus. Methodology: The relevant administrative decisions...... and their families to be essential. Conclusions: The paper concludes that implementing guidelines in accordance with international best practices, the establishment of at-home treatment and nursing facilities, counseling the mentally ill in a way that promotes their social integration and occupational rehabilitation......, ongoing education of health professionals along with relevant education of the community and the broad application of triage in the emergency departments will all contribute to delivering health services more effectively. Keywords: Cyprus, health services, patient rights...

78 FR 56897 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Public Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-16

... Health and Human Services (HHS), HHS collects some basic information about the company's product through... necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's...

75 FR 45124 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-02

... collect information in the following areas: a. Attitudes toward evidence-based practices generally, and AAFT model components in particular (e.g., attitudes toward using a treatment manual, achieving... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration...

Operationalising the Lean principles in maternity service design using 3P methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Iain

2016-01-01

The last half century has seen significant changes to Maternity services in England. Though rates of maternal and infant mortality have fallen to very low levels, this has been achieved largely through hospital admission. It has been argued that maternity services may have become over-medicalised and service users have expressed a preference for more personalised care. NHS England's national strategy sets out a vision for a modern maternity service that continues to deliver safe care whilst also adopting the principles of personalisation. Therefore, there is a need to develop maternity services that balance safety with personal choice. To address this challenge, a maternity unit in North East England considered improving their service through refurbishment or building new facilities. Using a design process known as the production preparation process (or 3P), the Lean principles of understanding user value, mapping value-streams, creating flow, developing pull processes and continuous improvement were applied to the design of a new maternity department. Multiple stakeholders were engaged in the design through participation in a time-out (3P) workshop in which an innovative pathway and facility for maternity services were co-designed. The team created a hybrid model that they described as "wrap around care" in which the Lean concept of pull was applied to create a service and facility design in which expectant mothers were put at the centre of care with clinicians, skills, equipment and supplies drawn towards them in line with acuity changes as needed. Applying the Lean principles using the 3P method helped stakeholders to create an innovative design in line with the aspirations and objectives of the National Maternity Review. The case provides a practical example of stakeholders applying the Lean principles to maternity services and demonstrates the potential applicability of the Lean 3P approach to design healthcare services in line with policy requirements.

Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer Web Service System

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, S.; Pan, L.; Zhai, C.; Tang, B.; Kubar, T. L.; Li, J.; Zhang, J.; Wang, W.

2015-12-01

Both the National Research Council Decadal Survey and the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Report stressed the need for the comprehensive and innovative evaluation of climate models with the synergistic use of global satellite observations in order to improve our weather and climate simulation and prediction capabilities. The abundance of satellite observations for fundamental climate parameters and the availability of coordinated model outputs from CMIP5 for the same parameters offer a great opportunity to understand and diagnose model biases in climate models. In addition, the Obs4MIPs efforts have created several key global observational datasets that are readily usable for model evaluations. However, a model diagnostic evaluation process requires physics-based multi-variable comparisons that typically involve large-volume and heterogeneous datasets, making them both computationally- and data-intensive. In response, we have developed a novel methodology to diagnose model biases in contemporary climate models and implementing the methodology as a web-service based, cloud-enabled, provenance-supported climate-model evaluation system. The evaluation system is named Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer (CMDA), which is the product of the research and technology development investments of several current and past NASA ROSES programs. The current technologies and infrastructure of CMDA are designed and selected to address several technical challenges that the Earth science modeling and model analysis community faces in evaluating and diagnosing climate models. In particular, we have three key technology components: (1) diagnostic analysis methodology; (2) web-service based, cloud-enabled technology; (3) provenance-supported technology. The diagnostic analysis methodology includes random forest feature importance ranking, conditional probability distribution function, conditional sampling, and time-lagged correlation map. We have implemented the

Methodological aspects to be considered in evaluating the economics of service measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bald, M.

1987-01-01

For the purposes of the report, service measures is used as a term denoting all those steps which exceed the framework of normal in-service maintenance and repair and serve to improve economics over the normal case. Positive impacts are to be achieved on such parameters as availability, efficiency, and service life. One of the aspects investigated is the effect, if any, of such measures on the residual service life of plants in operation for a long period of time already. Residual service life in this case means the remaining span of effective technical and economic operation which, in these model calculations, also includes part of the period of depreciation. (orig.) [de

Methodological Naturalism Under Attack | Ruse | South African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Recently the Intelligent Design movement has been arguing against methodological naturalism, and in this project they have been joined by the Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga. In this paper I examine Plantinga\\'s arguments and conclude not only that they are not well taken, but that he does no good service to his ...

Effect of Outsourced Pharmacies of Rural Healthcare Centers on Service Quality in Abharand Soltanieh Counties

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Ali Maher

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Recently, a part of healthcare services has been assigned to the private sector to increase the quality of medical services, increase patient satisfaction and reduce costs. In this regard, the outsourcing approach has been significantly considered for pharmaceutical services provided by healthcare centers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of outsourced pharmacies of rural healthcare centers on service quality using structural equations modelling. The methodology used was descriptive using correlation by structural equations modelling. The studied population included those patients who provided their medicines from pharmacies of rural healthcare centers in Abhar and Soltanieh counties. The samples included 384 of these patients. Data was collected by outsourcing and service quality questionnaires. A structural equation modelling was used to analyze data by LISREAL software. Results indicated a positive significant effect of outsourced pharmacies of rural healthcare centers on quality of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. findings emphasize the role of outsourcing on quality of services. Outsourced pharmacies of rural healthcare centers of Abhar and Soltanieh counties lead to improved service quality.

IT OUTSOURCING: METHODOLOGY FOR SUPPLIER SELECTION CRITERIA FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

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Sergio Alexandre Simões

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Two criteria are usually adopted to select the provider of IT: lower prices or better service qualification of the supplier. This article proposes a strategic approach: the company should hire the provider that best leverage their competitive advantages. This approach implied the need to develop a methodology. To support it, the authors analyzed four models, Porter, RBV (Resource-Based View, Balanced Scorecard and the Weapons and Field Competition. Preferred the latter to be the most complete, qualiquantitative technique and able to accurately align the goals of the IT service firm's to competitive contracting strategy. The methodology was developed and applied to an insurance company and in face of the excellent results, decided to write this article to disclose it.

Performance improvement planning : developing effective billing and collection practices

OpenAIRE

anonymous

2008-01-01

Effective billing and collection systems are a critical component for ensuring the viability of a service provider. Improving billing and collection activities has an immediate impact on the revenue streams of a service provider that can, in turn, help the service provider in improving services. However, while effective billing and collection practices depend on many internal factors (including customer databases, the extent of metered and unmetered service provision, tariff and billing struc...

Bringing service design to manufacturing companies: integrating PSS and service design approaches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Costa, Nina; Patrício, Lia; Morelli, Nicola

2018-01-01

in a manufacturing industry. This paper details how the application supports the design of product–service system solutions from the exploration to the implementation stages, highlighting the physical evidence of service, and contributes to advance design research at the intersection of PSS and Service Design.......Manufacturing companies increasingly try to innovate in their offers to consumers by creating more complete solutions that combine product and service components. However, shifting from a product-centric perspective to a solution-oriented perspective is challenging. The present study adopted...... a design research methodology and built on Service-Dominant logic, integrating the human-oriented perspective of Service Design with an organizational network-oriented perspective of Product–Service System. It creates a new Integrative PSS approach, evolves design models, and provides an application...

Development of restaurant serviceology based on the methodology of general theory of service

OpenAIRE

Glushchenko V.; Glushchenko I.; Katz S.; Olshevskaya K.; Pryazhnikova A.; Stashkova E.

2018-01-01

The positions of restaurant service (service in restaurant business — restaurantology) are formed as a scientific basis for designing a business and assessing the quality of services in restaurant business, developing the service sector in restaurant business, exploring and forming theoretical bases for the development of economy and management in the restaurant business in the globalization of the market for such a kind of services, development of service and information technologies and com...

Simulation for IT Service Desk Improvement

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Peter Bober

2014-07-01

Full Text Available IT service desk is a complex service that IT service company provides to its customers. This article provides a methodology which uses discrete-event simulation to help IT service management to make decision and to plan service strategy. Simulation model considers learning ability of service desk agents and growth of knowledge database of the company. Model shows how the learning curve influences the time development of service desk quality and efficiency. This article promotes using simulation to define quantitative goals for the service desk improvement.

76 FR 23603 - New Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Environmental Science Formative Research Methodology...

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2011-04-27

...; Comment Request; Environmental Science Formative Research Methodology Studies for the National Children's... an OMB generic clearance to conduct formative research featuring biospecimen and physical measures... health and disease. Findings from the Study will be made available as the research progresses, making...

Statistical analysis in MSW collection performance assessment.

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Teixeira, Carlos Afonso; Avelino, Catarina; Ferreira, Fátima; Bentes, Isabel

2014-09-01

The increase of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated over the last years forces waste managers pursuing more effective collection schemes, technically viable, environmentally effective and economically sustainable. The assessment of MSW services using performance indicators plays a crucial role for improving service quality. In this work, we focus on the relevance of regular system monitoring as a service assessment tool. In particular, we select and test a core-set of MSW collection performance indicators (effective collection distance, effective collection time and effective fuel consumption) that highlights collection system strengths and weaknesses and supports pro-active management decision-making and strategic planning. A statistical analysis was conducted with data collected in mixed collection system of Oporto Municipality, Portugal, during one year, a week per month. This analysis provides collection circuits' operational assessment and supports effective short-term municipality collection strategies at the level of, e.g., collection frequency and timetables, and type of containers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applications of mixed-methods methodology in clinical pharmacy research.

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Hadi, Muhammad Abdul; Closs, S José

2016-06-01

Introduction Mixed-methods methodology, as the name suggests refers to mixing of elements of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies in a single study. In the past decade, mixed-methods methodology has gained popularity among healthcare researchers as it promises to bring together the strengths of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Methodology A number of mixed-methods designs are available in the literature and the four most commonly used designs in healthcare research are: the convergent parallel design, the embedded design, the exploratory design, and the explanatory design. Each has its own unique advantages, challenges and procedures and selection of a particular design should be guided by the research question. Guidance on designing, conducting and reporting mixed-methods research is available in the literature, so it is advisable to adhere to this to ensure methodological rigour. When to use it is best suited when the research questions require: triangulating findings from different methodologies to explain a single phenomenon; clarifying the results of one method using another method; informing the design of one method based on the findings of another method, development of a scale/questionnaire and answering different research questions within a single study. Two case studies have been presented to illustrate possible applications of mixed-methods methodology. Limitations Possessing the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, interpretation and integration remains the biggest challenge for researchers conducting mixed-methods studies. Sequential study designs are often time consuming, being in two (or more) phases whereas concurrent study designs may require more than one data collector to collect both qualitative and quantitative data at the same time.

IDENTIFYING ELEVEN FACTORS OF SERVICE MARKETING MIX (4PS) EFFECTIVE ON TENDENCY OF PATIENTS TOWARD PRIVATE HOSPITAL

OpenAIRE

Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba; Etesaminia, Samira; Jafari, Mehrnoosh

2016-01-01

Introduction: One of the important factors of correct management is to identify the reasons for patient tendency toward private hospitals. This study measures these factors based on service marketing mixes. Patients and methods: This study used a cross sectional descriptive methodology. The study was conducted during 6 months in 2015. The studied population included patients of private hospitals in Tehran. Random sampling was used (n = 200). Data was collected by an author-made questionnaire ...

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2011-06-15

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2011-02-22

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2010-10-22

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2012-02-22

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An approach to SOA development methodology: SOUP comparison with RUP and XP

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Sandra Svanidzaitė

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Service oriented architecture (SOA is an architecture for distributed applications composed of distributed services with weak coupling that are designed to meet business requirements. One of the research priorities in the field of SOA is creating such software design and development methodology (SDDM that takes into account all principles of this architecture and allows for effective and efficient application development. A lot of investigation has been carried out to find out whether can one of popular SDDM, such as agile methodologies or RUP suits, be adapted for SOA or there is a need to create some new SOA-oriented SDDM. This paper compares one of SOA-oriented SDDM – SOUP – with RUP and XP methodologies. The aim is to find out whether the SOUP methodology is already mature enough to assure successful development of SOA applications. This aim is accomplished by comparing activities, artifacts of SOUP and RUP and emphasizing which XP practices are used in SOUP.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/csat.v2i1.77 

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2011-01-26

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2013-10-01

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2012-12-26

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The Examination of the Views of Primary School Teachers and Pre-Service Primary Teachers on European Union Citizenship from the Point of Different Variables

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Üner, Sadik Selman; Yesil, Rüstü

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the view of primary school teachers and pre-service primary teachers on European Union citizenship. This study is a descriptive and quantitative research in survey methodology. The data of the research was collected from 207 primary school teachers teaching in 22 primary school in the city center of Kirsehir…

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2011-04-21

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Methodology for Analyzing and Developing Information Management Infrastructure to Support Telerehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andi Saptono

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The proliferation of advanced technologies led researchers within the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Telerehabilitation (RERC-TR to devise an integrated infrastructure for clinical services using the University of Pittsburgh (PITT model. This model describes five required characteristics for a telerehabilitation (TR infrastructure: openness, extensibility, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and security. The infrastructure is to deliver clinical services over distance to improve access to health services for people living in underserved or remote areas. The methodological approach to design, develop, and employ this infrastructure is explained and detailed for the remote wheelchair prescription project, a research task within the RERC-TR. The availability of this specific clinical service and personnel outside of metropolitan areas is limited due to the lack of specialty expertise and access to resources. The infrastructure is used to deliver expertise in wheeled mobility and seating through teleconsultation to remote clinics, and has been successfully deployed to five rural clinics in Western Pennsylvania. Keywords: Telerehabilitation, Information Management, Infrastructure Development Methodology, Videoconferencing, Online Portal, Database

Use of Balanced Scorecard Methodology for Performance Measurement of the Health Extension Program in Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Teklehaimanot, Hailay D; Teklehaimanot, Awash; Tedella, Aregawi A; Abdella, Mustofa

2016-05-04

In 2004, Ethiopia introduced a community-based Health Extension Program to deliver basic and essential health services. We developed a comprehensive performance scoring methodology to assess the performance of the program. A balanced scorecard with six domains and 32 indicators was developed. Data collected from 1,014 service providers, 433 health facilities, and 10,068 community members sampled from 298 villages were used to generate weighted national, regional, and agroecological zone scores for each indicator. The national median indicator scores ranged from 37% to 98% with poor performance in commodity availability, workforce motivation, referral linkage, infection prevention, and quality of care. Indicator scores showed significant difference by region (P < 0.001). Regional performance varied across indicators suggesting that each region had specific areas of strength and deficiency, with Tigray and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region being the best performers while the mainly pastoral regions of Gambela, Afar, and Benishangul-Gumuz were the worst. The findings of this study suggest the need for strategies aimed at improving specific elements of the program and its performance in specific regions to achieve quality and equitable health services. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

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2010-01-29

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2010-08-31

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2010-06-21

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FRAMEWORK: ACTIVITY-BASED COSTING IN SERVICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nara Medianeira Stefano

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Organizations have a constant need to be prepared to continue competing, which shows the search for alternatives for their stay in the market. It has become a common goal in today's business environment, to improve efficiency and restructure organization, turning it effective. In this context, information about costs has become increasingly important to support and justify the process of decision-making. This article is aimed at structuring a bibliography portfolio to treat the application of the ABC method in service and contribute to discussions within the scientific community. The methodology followed a three-stage procedure: Planning, execution and Synthesis. International databases were used to collect information (ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus. As a result, we obtained a bibliography portfolio of 21 articles (with scientific recognition dealing with the proposed theme.

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2012-03-26

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2010-12-22

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2011-03-04

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2011-03-31

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2011-07-13

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2011-10-04

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Methodological Approaches to Designing Integrated Systems of Management of Food Service Enterprises

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Yatsun Leonid M.

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The article presents materials of studying the processes of designing functions and structures of management of food service enterprises by criteria of composition of the enterprise objectives, their participation in the integration process of production, sales and organization of consumption of food products and services. There have been defined a qualimetric estimation of parameters for enterprises of different size by types of tasks — manufacture of products, marketing activities, customer service, personnel management, etc. Balance schemes of the production and economic system of enterprises regarding cost components and output of food products and services have been developed. The integrated approaches to designing management systems of food service enterprises on the basis of coordination of parameters of the target, linear, functional and resource subsystems have been proposed.

[Marxism as a theoretical and methodological framework in collective health: implications for systematic review and synthesis of evidence].

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Cassia Baldini; Campos, Celia Maria Sivalli; Yonekura, Tatiana

2013-12-01

In this study, we discuss the integration in systematic reviews of research developed from a Marxist perspective of knowledge production and their results as evidence in healthcare. The study objectives are to review the assumptions of dialectical and historical materialism (DHM) and discuss the implications of dialectics for a literature review and the synthesis of evidence. DHM is a powerful framework for knowledge generation and transformation of policies and practices in healthcare. It assumes that social contradictions underlie the health-disease process, the fundamental theoretical construction in the field of collective health. Currently, we observe a considerable influence of the critical paradigm, of Marxist origin, in the construction of knowledge in health. Studies based on this critical paradigm incorporate complex methods, which are inherent to the guidelines of dialect, to identify the object and arrive at results that constitute evidence in healthcare. Systematic reviews should address the methodological difficulties associated with entirely integrating these results to healthcare.

Fitness-for-service and defect tolerance assessment - solutions for cracked components to remain in service